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AND 

OTHER FORAGE PLANTS. 

FOR THE 

SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 

/ 



BY D. L. PHARES, A. M., M. D., o 



Professor of Biology, A. & M. College of Mississippi, Sanitary 
Commissioner for the State at large of Mississippi ; 
Member of A. P. H. A., and many 
other Scientific Bodies. 



Author of "Synopsis of Medical Flora of Mississipjjj/' 
and of many papers on Medicine, Natural His- 
tory, Veterinary Science, Education, 
Improved Farming, Etc. Etc. Etc. 



STARKVILLE, MISS. 

J. C. HILL. Printer. 

1881 



;/ 



COPY RIGHT, 

August, 3r(]., 1881, in Office of Librarian of Coiigross. 
D. L. Pharks. 



^' 



PREFAl']^ 



I'liis little manual hae been ])rejTiare(] at the iirg-ent solieila- 
tioii of many planters for many years. It is written in as plain, 
simple language as eould well he done; so that any intelligent 
reader may easily understand it all. Full (Je.scrijdions in plain 
English of all the plants mentioned would have nuudi more tlian 
doubled tlie size of tiie l)ook ; technical descri])tions would be 
hard U) ('(.nijireiiend , and luinee it was deemed i)est to gi\'e first 
the botanical name of each phuit, so that any desiring, may 
consult sucii books as Gray's, C'hapman's, or Wood's recent 
works for fuller descriptions. The more important distinctive 
characters are given whenever deemed necessary. 

Much more time and labor have been expended in collecting 
and (!orre(!ting synonyms, and carefully identifying plants hv 
their popular or common, names, than in all the other portions 
of the work together. 

A number of j)lants new or unknown to most farmers have 
been described at some length, especially when giving promise 
of much agricultural value. Many others of little worth are 
mentioned, that farmers may not waste time and mone>y in ex- 
])erimenting with them. Man}- that are very valuable are too 
briefly treated because the s])ace assigned me would not admit 
of tuiler detail. And for the same reason many important top- 
ics have not been even mentioned. 

My own experiences and practises have been given quite free- 
ly as requested by friends. 

The work has been prepared in the intervals of other absorb- 
ing labors, with an average of not less than twenty interrup- 
tions for every page. It has been printed from the original 
rough draft as it has been impossible to find time to copy or re- 
vise it. For the same reason a few typographical errors may 
have escaped uncorrected. In spite of all efforts to the contra- 
ry, the work contains over 50 per cent more than the limits 
assigned me would have permitted. 

Should health and leisure permit, I desire at some future 
time to pre})are a large illustrated work on all the J^^orage 
Plants of the South'U'n United States. 

D. L. Phaees. 
A. & M. College of Mlss, \ 
September, 1st., 1881.) 



EUR A Tl'M: 

Page 7, line 5 from top, read pecks instead of pounds. 



Farmer's Bool of Cirasses aiiS Otlier Forap Plants. 

CHAPTER I. 
The Pulse Fainiltf, 



From the oldest records, it is evident that members of tliis 
family have been used as food for man and beast from i\\v in- 
fancy of the human race. And for many ages other members 
have furnished timber, fuel, fibrous materials, dyes, medicines 
and many other products employed in economic uses. This fam- 
ily contains about 550 genera and 7000 species, of ^v^lich our 
country produces more than 60 genera and over 200 species. 
In the limited space allowed in this work only a few of tliese 
can be mentioned. 

1. Lotus Tribe. 

Blossoms butterfly-like, pods not jointed, stems not climbing, 
cotyledons leafy. 

LupiNus. Lu])ine. 

Of this genus, several species are found native; the more com- 
mon being the perennial, diffuse and viUous; all with generally 
purplish flowers, rarely white, and woolly pods. While afford- 
ing some food and worthy of protection, they are not of suffi- 
cient value to justify cultivation. 

Crotai.aria. Eattle-box. 

We have three native species of this genus, all with yellow 
blossoms and dark purple inflated pods. They are low plants, 
growing on sandy pine barrens and other poor soils, affording 
considerable food for live stock, where better plants do not 
thrive. They are sometimes cultivated, only however, for 
amusement of children. 



2 FAKiMi:i;\s Book oi^ (iiiAs.sES 

Medioaoo. Medick. 

1. M. SATIVA. Mcdiek, Lucerne, Spanish Trefoil, French Lu- 
zerne and Alfolfa. This plant is very pretty and very valuable. 
When first hrcnight from South America to the LTnited States, it 
was supposed to be a new plant and called Braz'dhin chim: A 
few years ago, it was taken from western South America to Cal- 
ifornia, and thence to the older States as a new plant with its 
Spanish name Alfalfa. But it was knoAvn in the earlier ages of 
the world. By the Greeks (about 500 years iiefore Christ) it 
was l>rought from Medea and hence its generic and one of its 
common names. It has been known ever since in most civil- 
ized States, and often mentioned by Roman agricultural writers 
and by others from their time to this. It is still grown in Per- 
sia, where, as in Peru, it is cut throuhout the year. It had been 
cultivated in the southern States 50 years l)efore received from 
California. 

It is ready for use early. Last year I had it two feet high, 
the middle of February ; tliis year the same height a montli la- 
ter, all the forage plants being late. It should be planted in 
drills 12 or L5 inches apart, and I think at the very least, ten 
pounds of seed per acre. The ground should be rich, dry and 
mellow. The first year it should be cultivated to keep down 
grass and weeds. The mowing should be made when the first 
blooms appear, if for hay. It makes a good hay, relished by 
stock. It is better however, for soiling or feeding green, or 
rather wilted. For this purpose the cutting should begin before 
the plant shows any blooms; otherwise, before going over all the 
lot, some stems become too hard to digest promptly. By the 
time the last is cut, the first is again ready for the sickle. And 
thu« it may be cut four to six times a year. The amount of rich 
fi>rage it may produce is probably greater than from any other 
plant. It is very rich in milk and butter principles, and spe- 
cially suited for feeding milk cows. For this purpose cut after 
noon and feed next day. 

Stock must not have access to the growing lucerne ; for by 
easing out the crowns, the plants are killed. If protected and 
manured a little every few years, it will continue a vigorous 
growth for a life-time. Some plots of it are now in fine condi- 
tion, that are known to have been growing for over thirty-five 
years, without any marks of decay. 

Where the sub-soil can be penetrated and is not too moist, lu- 
cerne sends its roots down 10, 15, even 20 feet deep. Hence 
it is less affected by drought than any other plant. This should 
render it specially valuable in the Mission Valley and some oth- 
er portions of Texas, and perhaps on the skirts of our western 
desert. 



And OlJlEH FuJlACJE 1'LANT^;. 3 

It may succeed well, sown ln'oadcast on well cultivated lands 
free from seeds of grasses and weeds. In this case full twenty 
pounds of seed per acre; should be used so as to cover the ground 
early and thus suppress weeds. It may afford good mowings 
the first year ; and these mowings prevent maturing of seeds 
of noxious weeds. 

Every owner of a horse or milk cow sliould have at least one 
acre of lucerne. These animals, sheep, svv^ine and poultry rec- 
ognize the value of lucerne at the first glance. 

2. M. LUPULINA is naturalized with us, but is of too little 
value to require special notice. It is the JSTonesuch, or Black 
Medick. 

?). M. MACULATA, spotted Mcdick, is a valuable plant. It was 
brought from Chili to California, and thence to the States under 
the names of California Clover, Yellow Clover and Burr Clover. 
Many mistook it for lucerne and still so call it. This has only 
tivo or three yel/oio blossoms in each cluster, while lucerne has 
many blue blossoms in an elongated head. From the melilots 
and clovers proper, the medicks are readily distinguished by the 
pods or legumes being spirally twisted or coiled. That of 31. 
sativa is loosely coiled about twice so as to somewhat resemble a 
rams horn. That of the M. malcuhda is very compactly coiled, 
so as to present the appearance of a solid oblate spheroid, thick- 
ly covered with curved prickles. But seize the prickles at the 
poles and draw gently ; the spheroidal burr is changed to a spiral 
liat legume with two rows of hooked prickles on its thicker edge. 

I have grown this plant about thirty-five years. It furnishes 
good grazing from I'ebruary till April or May ; a small lot ot 
ground feeding a large number of cattle, sheep, etc. Many 
think it the best thing possible for grazing and hay. It is the 
opinion of some, that animals naturally prefer it to other green 
plants. This docs not accord with my experience. They do 
not incline to eat it at first ; but it is easy to teach them, and they 
acquire a great fondness for it. But all the grass eating animals 
including geese, etc., know and eat lucerne greedily at first sight. 
Horses that refuse the spotted Medick when green, cat it readi- 
ly v/hen wilted or dried. The last lot I sowed was in 1859 or 
1<S()0. Every year, many persons passing the public roads near 
this lot stop and admire the luxuriant growth. For a number 
of years my live stock had free access to it from December to 
March, or later, with much profit. On removing them it shot 
up and spread out rapidly in April and May, in the latter month 
maturing an immense quantity of seed and then dicing. In June 
the crab grass {pankmii sanguinak) sprang up and in August, 
this grass while in bloom was mowed. In October, I had a sec- 
ond lighter mowing. In a few weeks, the medick would be up 
and in full possession of the ground till next June. I never 



4 Farmer's Book of Grasses 

mowed the mcclick, but to a very limited extent. Thus for years, 
I had the hitter for grazing in winter and s])ring, and in August 
and October took oif two and a half or tliree tons of crab grass 
hay per acre. The hay is better than we usually get from the 
West. 

After a luxuriant crop of medick, the ground is very loose and 
in condition to produce a good crop of anything else. One may 
cultivate land every year and make better crops of corn and cot- 
ton than on ground not occupied by the medick, and still have 
the benefit of the latter for winter and early spring grazing. In 
order to do this, in bedding for cotton and corn, leave between 
the rows a space four, six, or more inches wide unbroken till the 
latter part of May, and yon will have plenty of seed on the ground 
to give yon a good stand the next fall. Even without this pre- 
caution, the lot which 1 have mentioned has maintained a heavy 
crop of the medick and for two years made heavy crops of cotton, 
the latter growing to very large size and fruiting heavily. I had 
rented it and the lessee l)roke it up completely, leaving no space 
to mature Medick seed. This year the plowing of this lot was 
not begun till May, and the ground was so heavily covered with 
the plant that the heaviest two-horse plow could not touch the 
ground till the medick was cut up with a Nishwitz harrow. 
Those who have not examined it can form mo idea of the dense 
heavy growth. Yet if left alone, it has nearly all disappeared by 
July, except an inch or two in depth of the legumes covering the 
ground. A single root will often throw out stems radiating all 
around and branching so much as to cover a space of eighty 
square feet. These, though slender, overlapping in every direc- 
tion and piled two feet deep in May and June render it next to 
imp;>,ssil)le to plow the ground. But by earlier plowing or wait- 
ing till July there is none of this trouble. The plant may be 
recognized at an early stage of growth by the leaf, whicli is com- 
posed of tiiree inversely cordate, rather large leaflets, each hav- 
ing near the middle a dark spot. It is from this spot that the 
plant receives its specific and one trivial name. 

4. M. BENTICULATA. This differs from the preceding in the 
sharp edged pod being less compactly coiled and having shorter 
prickles. It is often confounded with the preceding. 

5. M. SCUTELLATA, Bcc-hive, Snail Medick. This is culti- 
vated only for its curious, large pods, which are coiled like a snail 
shell with many turns. 

As we have no process for removing the seeds from the pods 
of spotted medick, it is necessary to sow the burr-like pods, say 
half a bushel per acre. The planting should be done early, in 
July or August, in order that the tough pods may have time to 
rot and release the seeds. If covered deep, the seed will not ger- 
minate, but remain in the ground for years, to grow when 
brought to the surface. 



Am)(>tfii:r 1'\)i;a<;e l'r,ANTs. 5 

MEJ.iLorrs. SwiTt Clover. 

Of thin we have two , species : 1. M. officinalis and M. al- 
ba, White Melilot, Tree Clover, Bokhara Clover. Tliey are 
cultivated for forag'c ; but oftener in the flower ij;arden for come- 
liness and fra^ranct . They have run wild in many places, thus 
adding- to the value of native ])asturag'e. 

Trifoliim. Clover. 

1. T. rRATEXsE. Ked Clover. In a larj>;e portion of Missis- 
sippi, Louisiana and other southern States, this plant grows as 
promptly and as luxuriantly, and yields as heavy crops of forage, 
as in any other portions of America. In truth, from a compar- 
ison of tile clover crops of Mississipjn with those I have seen and 
had reports of in all the States further north, it is evident that in 
the former there is much more certainty and less difficulty in ob- 
taining a good catch, and in maintaining a good stand ; and in 
C(»nsequence of this, in connection with climatic influences, a 
larger yield is annually i-ealized, and for a greater number of 
years, if desired. 

True this is putting it pretty strong; but not a whit stronger 
than, i believe, the facts warrant. I have secured good stands 
whether the seed were sown in September, October, November, 
December, January or February ; and even to the middle of March. 
That growing in the field on the east side of the telegraph lines, 
which so manv of vou have stopj)ed to admi^'c, and which 
Northern and Western men have so often gone in to examine 
closely and handled to be certain that their eyes had not deceived 
them, was planted five years ago. Yet the hands declare the crop 
of this year is as heavy or heavier than that of any former year. 
By sjiecial request, I measured a jiart of this field two years ago, 
and after tiioroughly drying the clover (dryer than 1 make it for 
housing) it weighed at the rate of nine thousand pounds per acre. 
But others, in various and widely distant j)arts of the Sta^', have 
done e(|ually well ; and some much better, I am happy to acknowl- 
edge. 

1 have been asked many times what fertilizers I applied. All 
of you perhaps have seen and some of you are well acquainted 
with every foot of this field, and know that it is old, that the sub- 
soil is a red clay many feet deep, as seen by the cut in the adjacent 
road, and that there is but little surface soil. It was worn out and 
abandoned in 1833, the first time I ever saw it. In 1840, having 
located near by, I purchased and enclosed it for pasture. Thus it 
was used fi)r} ears and very much improved. Two years before 
sowing the clover, I bedded for cotton, and in the beds l)efore 
sowing the c(»tton seed, on one portion, I applied Bradley's Fer- 



{} Fal'MEk's i)(H)i; of (Juassks 

tilizer ; on another part Sterne's Superphosphate; on another 
Dickson's C\)ni])oinicl ; and on another in the first furrow stable 
manure, upon whieii the bed was made. All parts made a o()od 
crop of cotton. It has had no fertilizer since. The next year 
1 raised corn on it and a good crop of weeds. In September all 
the live stock was turned on it for a month. It was then l)roken 
and harrowed several times and seeded with clover in Xovemi)er 
and January. It has had two mowings a year, and more or less 
stock on it every winter. Yet it is wliat you have seen. I have 
otlier lots of clover equally g'ood, one better. 

The first wxH'k in A])ril, 1<S74, a passing ploM' cut off a clover 
root. Examining it, I found fifty-six stems from 20 to 25 inches 
long growing from the on • root. It was just beginning to bloom. 
This some of you iiave seen as well as other etjualiy interesting 
specimens. Last year we commenced feeding clover early in A- 
pril; this year nearly a month later, the season being very unfa- 
vorable for early growth. All kinds of farm animals eat red clo- 
ver very greedily whether green, or dry. I need not tell you of 
its value for all. This you already know. 

Varicfic.'t. The Hupling clover is a very large coarse variety, and 
not desirable. The medhiin and t^mnUer, F think really but (me; 
the dilference in size de})ending on the soil and management. The 
common medium vtiriety sometimes grows larger than i like. I 
have no doubt 1 could make it produce seven tons of cured hay 
per acre. J^ut it would be coarse, less nutritious and require 
longer to cure than when lighter. AVhen it yidds enough for 
three tons of clry hay at one mowing, it cannot be cured prompt- 
Iv enough to make the choicest hay, unless the product of one 
acre l)e s])read over much more ground than it grows on. More 
can be cured indeed and make excellent hay ; but not the best. 

Red clover improves land much more than spotted, medick 
Ixith as a fertilizer and ameliorator. Its large taji-root in favor- 
able situations penetrates five to ten feet deep. 

The above remarks were made in a lecture in 1875; speci- 
m-ens being in the hands of the audience. The clover was suf- 
fered to occupy the land two years longer, or in all seven years. 
^) fertilizer was at any time applied after 1869 as above stated 
f*i' cotton. The clover was equally good to the last. But pro- 
Irmged rains and want of time prevented more than one mow- 
ing a year for two years; and thus many weeds had time to ma- 
ture seeds and propagate to a large extent. Two mowings a 
year seem sufficient to prevent the growth of noxious weeds a- 
mong the clover. 

After mowing in 1877, the ground was plowed and set with 
sweet potatoe vines in the summer and yielded an immense crop 
without manure. When the potatoes were harvested iu autumn, 
the field was seeded with red rust proof oats, a small fiuautity of 
cotton seed being scattered and ])h>wed in with tlu' oats. The 



Am»Oti(i:i; 1m)1;a{;k Plants. 7 

next .-^priiiij; showed the huii'est stems and iieaviest vield (»!' oats f 
have ever s(>en. 

Seed pcf <(cr( . Xot less tlian ten ])()unds should Ik' nsed. 
This may do very Avell when orchard g-rass is sown Nvith it, at the 
rate of four or five poinids per acre. And this is a good comhijia- 
tion, as the orcliard grass is ready at the same time with the clo- 
ver for tht' mower, and it assists in curing the clover more })rom])t- 
ly and nicely, though not quite so nicely cured itself in the mix- 
ture. When clover is planted alone, I prefer to use twelve or 
lifteen pounds; or one l>ushel (sixty pounds) for four acres, or at 
most five. By using plenty of seed we obtain a better catch, and 
the increased harvest j)ays many times over the additional cost 
of more seed. 

Soil. Any good soil with red clay subsoil near the suriace is 
well adapted to clover. 

2. T. ARVKXSE. Rabbit-foot Clover, Stone Clover. This 
species is small and almost worthless. The calyx of this and 
red clover remanis erect in seed, while in all the f >llowing it be- 
comes reflexed or turned downward. It may be known bv the 
corolla being of fiosh color, or whitish with a purple spot, and al- 
most concealed by the ])lum()se silky calyx. The iieads are verv 
soft silky-downy, oblong at length cylindrical. 

'3. T. REFLEXU?-r. Bntfiilo Clover. This native })lant grows 
a foot high wiih very stout asc(>nding pubescent stems and large 
lieads of rose-red and whitish flowers. It is a valuable plant and 
cattle are fond of it. The large succulent stems and leaves affoi'd 
so mucli forage, tliat it might be cultivated ])rotitably. 

4. T, KEPEUS. W^hite Clover. This universally known plants 
though perhaps Jiot a native, grows luxuriantly and spontaneous- 
ly on nearly all deej), red clay lands and furnishes excellent gra- 
zing in many parts of the s(uithern Stat(sfrom January on for 
some months, sometimes through spring and early summer. The 
later second growth, like that of red clover, salivates horses, mules, 
and sometimes cows. The flow of saliva is often enormous and 
very damaging to horses. I have seen but one bad case in the 
COM-. White Clover yields a large quantity of the best honey 
that can be made. It is however not reliai tie for this use from 
the fact that sometime.^, without any apparent cause, it disaj)- 
pears almost wholly for one or more years, and then suddenly 
again covers the eartli with a most luxuriant and nutritious 
growth. I have often had much trouble on account of its per- 
sistent, luxuriant growth among other crops where I did not 
want it. 

It frequently starts well into rich growth earlier than the red 
clover and though soon concealed from sight by the latter, both 
are unavoidably mowed and cured together, thus giving a hay 
that will salivate. 



8 Farmp:r's JJook of GrashKH 

1 Uiwv louiid that red ciuvcr hay oi" the ,se<'oiul cuttiiiji, ke]»t 
a year or more, loses the property of salivating; but whether 
the same is true of white clover I have not learned. In nutri- 
tive value, it is about e<{ual to red clover; as a fat {)roducer 
much better. 

5. T. PiKXU.MP.EUs. Low Hop Clover. This plant is small, 
spreading, downy and of little value. 

a. T. AGRARIUM. Yellow Ho}» Clover. 'I'his is a little lar- 
ger than the ])recediMg, but not very valuable. Both have yel- 
low blossoms. 

7. T. CAHOLINIANUM. Carolina Clover, with j)urj»lish blooms, 
is proeumbent, small and iiffords but little gi-azing. 

8. T. KTOLONiFERUM. Ruuuing ])ui^'alo Clover. This is 
much like, and may be a variety of number '^ above, l)ut differ- 
ing by sending out runners. 

9. T. MP^DITM. Zigzag Clover. This is only a variety ju-ol)- 
ably ofthe red clover, from which it differs in having spotless, 
more oblong, entire leaves and zigzag stems. 

10. T. ixcARNATUM. Crimson Clover. An annual, matu- 
ring earlier than the red of which it is perhaps a variety. 

11. T. ERECTUM. Sapling Clover, as stated on a preceding 
page is a coarse, erect variety ofthe red clover, later maturing. 

12. T, HYBRIDUM. Alsike Clover. This 8weedish species is 
superior to red clover in feeding value, furnishes more fat and 
flesh forming materials and less crude fibre. Its yield per acre 
of hay however is less. It is admirable for grazing. It is slow 
taking possession of land, l)ut is perennial and does well with 
or(diard grass, both for grazing and hay. It is quite fragrant 
and a good honey plant. My personal knowledge of it is too 
li«iited to estimate properly its true value in the South. 

Psora LEA. 

Six or more species are native. No common or local name is known 
tome. These plants furnish considerable forage for live stock; 
but they arc hardly Avorthy ot cultivation. 

Petalo.stemon. Prairie Clover. 

Wo have five or six species, w^hich, though valual)le and use- 
ful to stock in pasture or forest, are not sufficiently so to assure 
cultivation. 

Onobrychis Sativa. Esparsette, Sainfoin, 

This perennial, European, pea-like plant has a high character 
as a feed in France. It is cultivated to but a limited extent in 
the South. It is worthy of trial as it belongs to a warm climate. 



And Other Forage Plants. 9 

Astragalus. Milk Vetch. 

Of these bean-like plants we have five or six species, two of" 
which deserve mention. The TenneHsee milk vetch and the Caro- 
lina milk vetch furnish considerable food for cattle and might be 
improved by cnltivation. 

Arachis. Pea Nnt, Ground Pea, Pinder. 

A. iiYPOGvEA. This species from South America and the Af- 
rican Gcnira or Goober are every where known and much esteem- 
ed for the large seeds and the bland oil made from them. But 
the stems and leaves making an excellent hay, are too often 
left to decay in the fields. The fodder made from these is very 
nutritious, valuable and much relished by animals. The seeds 
are admirable for hogs and other live stock. 

II. The Vetch Tribe. 

Pods not jointed, two valved ; the thick fleshy cotyledons re- 
main under ground in germination; climbing vines; the petiole 
of the abruptly pinnate leaves terminated by a tendril. 

PisuM. Pea. 

P. sativum. Common Pea, English Pea, Garden Pea. 
This species, in its many varieties and uses is so well antl univer- 
sally known that it needs only to be named here. 

Lathy Rus. Vetchling. 

1. L. venosus, and 2. L. aiyrtifolius, native species are 
of little value; and L. odoratus. Sweet Pea and L. latifo- 
Lius, Everlasting Pea are from Europe and planted only for 
ornament. 

ViciA. Vetch. 

1. V. RATIVA. Conwnon Vetch or Tare is much cultivated 
in Europe for fodder, and to a limited extent in this country 
for the same purpose. There are two varieties, winter and spring. 
The winter variety is sometimes planted with turnips and with 
oats, barley and rye for winter pasture or soiling. My expe- 
rience with it is too limited to commend it highly for cnltiva- 
tion in this country where other things perhaps more profitable 
and hardier are in season at the same time with the tares. As 
a variety it may be cultivated to a small extent as the product is 
very valuable if not abundant. 

V. FABA. Bean, Windsor or Horse Bean. This is well 
known every where and in some regions cultivated for the edi- 
ble seeds. 



10 Farmer's liooK of (iit asses 

3. V. AMERICANA, 4. V. CA KOLINIANA, Carolina V'.'icli, 

5. V. ACUTiFOEiA. Acute Icavod Vetch, 6. V. miorantha, 
Small flowered Vetch, and 7. V. HIRSUTA, Hairy Vetch, nat- 
uralized, arc all valuablcj wild forage plants. Deer and cattle 
iced on these grcinlily and grow fat. Some of these grow abun- 
dantly and richly in tlu^ southern States and would no dou})t 
give better satisfaction in cultivation than the imported varietivs. 

Lens. Lentil. 

L. EsciTLENTA. Common Tj(>ntil, This is from Europe and 
cultivated both for fodder and for the seeds. But it is too f !G- 
ble and small to yield much of either. 

III. Tick Trp^foil TRiiiE. 

T*od separating transversely into one seeded joints, en- having 
one joiiit or achene. Stems not twining. 

Styeosantiies. Pencil Fl<nver. 

S. eeatior. This is a low herb with trifoliate leaves, and 
small orange yellow flowers in little clusters or heads; and it is 
valuable in pine barrens for browsing in heat of summer. 

Lbspedeza. Ibish Clover. 

1. L. liEPENS. Creeping Lespede/.a lies flat on the ground 
covering from tliree to ten square feet of surface. It will not 
grow on good soil; prefers indeed no soil proper, but clay and 
sand. It is utterly worthless. 

2. L. viOLACEA. Purple Bush Clover Jias an erect, stout, 
branching stem and varies so greatly wdth locality that several 
distinct varieties are named. 

3. L. STUVEE Downy Bush Clover v/ith stem erect, branch- 
ing, downy. 

4. L. HiRTA. Hairy Bush Clover has an erect, wand-like, 
pubescent stem. 

5. L. CAPITATA. Headed Bush Clover has a mostly simple, 
erect, softly pubescent stem. These last four contain much 
nourishment in the seed and foliage and grow on sterile soils, 
where stock that can do no better cat them in late summer, and 
early part of autumn. Though highly commended by some per- 
sons, they are unworthy of notice except on very poor lands. 

6. L. STRIATA. Japan Clover. Stock do not relish this 
plant at first sight ; but tasting a few times, they become very 
fond of it for grazing and hay. In many places, they abandon 
all the natural pasturage in March, April or May, and confine 
themselves to this till frost kills it down. 



And Othi:i; 1m)i;a<;!; I*la.\ts. 11 

i>y lV((iueiit grazing or mowing it is l<ept in a growing, ten- 
der, palatable, digestible condition. Cattle fatten on it and pro- 
duce .superior milk, butter and beef. And this is just what 
should be expected when we consider that the justly esteemed 
red clover contains 1(5 per cent of albuminoids and 41 per cent 
of carbohydrates, while lespedeza contains nearly as mucli albu- 
minoids and o6.79 per cent carbohydrates. Yet planters differ 
widi'ly as to the feeding value of the ])lant. Nor is this very re- 
markable, since this, as othei- plants, must vary much in eco- 
nomic value according to soil, climate and culture. 

In the report for 1878, p. 180, De])artment of Agriculture, it 
is stated that, "It is a loio, perennial plant, not ris'uKj much above 
I he ground, but spreading widely on the surface." It is true that 
it rises litth^ above the ground till May and jicrhaps throughout 
the season north of 35° and on poor soils. But iri Mississippi 
from the south-west corner to Brandon, betv/een 31° and 33"^ 
latitude it rises in favorable localities to 12 and 18 inches, and 
is much branched. Here is Mr. Colliers' 

I*i'oximate Analysis of Lespedeza Striata. 
Oil, 3.30 Anylaceous cellulose. 

Wax, 1.10 Alkali extracts. 

Sugars, 14.74 Albuminoids, 

Gum and dextrin, 6.70 Ash, 

(\■llulos<^ 23.77 



14.()7 


IB. 


,22 


15. 


11 


4. 


33 



100.00 



Vnalvsis of ash. 



Pota.ssium, 


4.67 


Sulphuric acid. 


7.82 


Potassium oxide, 


34.78 


Phosphoric acid, 


7.54 


Calcium oxide. 


29.60 


Silicic acid. 


6.61 


Magnesium oxide. 


4.75 


Cddorine, 


4.23 



100.00 

There is a good plate of this plant in the report referred to 
above. In the report, Mr. Samuel McRamsey of Warren coun- 
ty, Tennessee is quot(Kl and says of L. striatci: "It supplies much 
grazing from the first of Auf/ud till frost." From this statement 
it seems that this plant "supplies much grazing" at least four 
months longer in south west Mississippi than in Tennessee. 

It is extremely hardy, readily takes hold of the soil, holds it 
again.st other intruding plants and conquers it from many others. 
By many it is said to eradicate the broom grasses (Andropogons). 

One serious objection to it is that it kills out Bermuda grass. 
This however, will commend it to .some. It grows well on and 
completely hides any soil ; in washes, which it arrests; and in 
pine thickets, where nothing else Avill grow. 

It compares very flivorably with red clover as a fertilizer, the 
above analysis of the ashes showing nearly 40 per (^ent of pota,s- 



12 Fakmek's Book of Grasses 

siuiu and its oxide besides a large quantity of phosphoric and 
sul})hurie acids brought up from tlie subsoil in addition to the 
large per centage of plant food which it condenses from the at- 
mosphere. 

We have so many genuine clovers, which belong to the Lotus 
tribe, that it is to be regretted that the Lespedezas which belong 
to the Tic'kseed tr'ihe, should ever be called a clover. 
The hop clovers are often mistaken for Lespedeza. The former 
however, have yellow blooms in conspicuous heads and die down 
in June ; while L. strUtta continues through the summer, produ- 
cing very small purple, rose, or perhaps more properly pink col- 
ored blooms in the axils of the leaves in September. Some years 
a few precocious blooms are seen early in June. The plant pro- 
duces many seeds, only one, however, in each little pod. 

Where it grows well, it has much root and is difficult to plow 
underand to kill. It is also difficult to burn after being cut, and 
may become tnmblesome to careless farmers. 

How this plant some thirty years ago came from Japan is un- 
known. But for 15 years it has been I'apidly spreading over the 
southern States east of the Mississippi river. When the old ge- 
nus Hedysarum was divide<l, to those plants having a one joint- 
ed one seeded pod or akene was assigned the generic name in 
honor of Lespedez, a governor of Florida while under the Span- 
ish rule. The other plants of the old genus having tlat legumes 
with two to six joints breaking at maturity into as many akenes 
each with one seed were assigned to the genus Desiaodmm. 

Within a few years th(! LJ)tcoloi-\mii been introduced from the 
Amoor river region, northern Asia, as a late summer and au- 
tumnal ornamental plant. But this two-colored lespedeza can 
never become a useful forage plant. 

Desmodium. Tick-seed, Beggar Lice. 

We have about twenty native species of Desmodium. Many 
are hard, woody and nearly worthless. Several however, have 
long been known as supplying rich food for deer as well as do- 
mestic animak. These plants contain a large per centage of nu- 
tritive matters as shown by Mr. Collier's 

Proximate Analysis of Desmodium from South Carolina. 
Oa, ' 2.35 Any laceous cellulose, 14.39 

Wax, .44 Alkali extracts, 7.04 

Sugars, 13.46 Albuminoids, 21.22 

Gum and dextrin, 8.15 Ash, 7.56 

Cellulose, 



Potassium, 

Potassium oxide, 

Sodium, 

Sodium oxide, 

Calcium oxide, 

Magnesium oxide, 7.11 100.00 



^U.tJO 


100.00 


Analysis of Ash. 




6.33 Sulphuric acid. 


5.10 


27.81 Phosphoric acid, 


11.87 


.56 Silicic acid. 


11.19 


Chlorine, 


6.61 



l>csinO(iiuin, jier c. 


Kf<i 


clover, 


jjor (!. 


45.<S3 






41.00 


21.22 






16.01 


2:3.39 






35.01 


7.50 






7.0.S 



ANDnrm/i; 1'«)i;a(;i: Plants. 13 

Mr. C'oII'kt (Iocs not name the .s])ecie.s analyzed. lie calls spe- 
cial attention to this analysis^, adding: "By reference to the anal- 
ysis it will be at once seen how large an amonnt ofalbnniinoids 
is present; and fortlie ])ur})os(' of comparison the analysis of red 
clover is placed below with that of this plant. 

Carbohydrates, 
Albnniinoids, 
Celhdose, 
Ash, 

100.00 100.00 

"For convenience '>f coni]>arison, the carbohydrates are group- 
ed together. It will be seen tliat tlie albuminoids of the Desmo- 
dium are to those in red clover as 132 to 100, while the amount 
of ash varies but slightly in the two plants. The immense value 
of clover as a crop preparatory to other crops, especially wheat, 
is well known, and there is perliaps no way by which exhausted 
lands may be more readily restored to fertility, and maintained 
in such condition, than by th<- use of clover; certainly there is 
no method which compares with it in expense. Now, although 
clover re(piires an amount of ])lant food, Itoth mineral and at- 
mospheric, far in excess of a wheat crop, nevertheless it is a flict 
very well esta')lished that tlie former crop may i)e successfully 
grown upon a field where wluat would invariably fail of a crop. 

"The reasons tor this are to be seen in a comparison of the two 
plants; and, although it is a 'thice-told' tale, the sulyect especial- 
ly in connection with tliis ])lant under consideration, is such that 
every farmer should practically up.derstand the matter. 

"Clover and Mheat, then, belong to two families of plants, 
which in nearly every respect are in the strongest contrast. 

"Clover is one of the dicotyledonous, or those of which the seed 
is divided into halves, as with the pea, beau etc. These })lants 
are characterized also l)y a strong tap-root, which, descending in- 
to the subsoil, enables the })lant to secure r.ourishment from be- 
yond the reach of plants of the other sort. 

"Wheat, on the contrary, belongs to the monocotyiedonous 
plants, the seeds of which are not so divided in halves, as Ijiidian 
corn for example. The roots of this family of plants are surfoce 
or crown roots, and are destitute of the tap-root already spoken of. 

"Again, if we consider the hal)its of growth of the two plants, 
we have in clover a plant of continuous growth through out the 
season until cut down by frost or the scythe of the mower, and 
an enormous leaf development, as compared with wheat with its 
scant leafage and its short life. We have, then, in clover a 
plant with a tap-root and an enormous root development, ena- 
bling it to seek out and assimilate mineral food, with a great ex- 
tent of leaf surface, fitting it to take in and ass/)niU>te atmospher- 



14 Fakmj::e'« Book of Grasses 

ic food; a ioii_<.>,' periou of o'rowth,,wiiicli caust's it to a]»])r*j)i'iaf<' 
the g■l•eate^^t aimmiit of botli kinds of food aad store them uji in 
root and stem. In wheat, on the other hand, we have a surface 
rooted plant, a seanty h'afage, and a short period of growth. 
What w^on(h'r, then, tliat so coars'' a feederas cU)ver should thrive, 
even where so dainty a plant as wheat sliould utterly fail, as is so 
often the case? But, as will be ixnnembered, all this atmospher- 
ic and mineral food, which lias been assimilated and stored uj) 
in the roots and stems of clover remains to furnish an abundant 
supply, l)y its decay, to the crop v.hich shall succeed it, and thus 
(dover or similar plants have always played a most importani 
]iart in all systemsof rotation, as in the v,-!)cat growing regi(»n of 
the (ienesee valley of New York. In this Desmodium we have 
a phvnt whicli appears to be a substitute for clover and to possess 
this great advantage, viz: that it will flourish vigorsusly upon 
certain lands upon whicii a crop of clover can not bi^ securcil. 
This seems to be especially true of the sand barrens of the At- 
lantic seaboard. Certainly if t!ie statements niade concerning it 
are to ])e credited, it is destined to effect a revolution in agricul- 
ture throughout this section, and to restore to fertility lands 
which have been pa];tially abandoned !)v the former." — Dept. 
Ag., Report for i<S 7 8, pp., 1<S2, 18-3. 

Mr, Collier's reasoning is just. ]>ut the Desmodiums are so 
liglit and so diltust- in growth ih.at I tliink the (|uantitT p^r 
acre would l)e small. In soils mentioned tiie}' would act as de- 
scribed, but the ])lant food they could bring from tJie subsoil 
and store from the atmosphere would be comparatively littl(\ 
On the same kinds of soil, I opine, the Le.'ipedezd. striata would 
grow well and obtain and store plant food in the ways mentiori- 
ed by Mr. Collier, and in larger quantity than the Desmodi- 
ums could. The I^espedeza possesses other jiropertics which 
would give it preference on the soils and for the purposes con- 
templated. I'he growth is so dense as to completely blanket 
the earth for the hot months, jirotecting from washing and by tiie 
dense shade preventing evaporation of fertilizers and promoting 
absorption from the atmosjihere. A great objection to the Des- 
modium too is the fact that the hispid jointed pods adhere to the 
coats of animals and people. 



RifiTARDSONiA srAHiJA. Mexican Clover, 



This is a native of Mexico and South America. It lias be- 
come naturalized in Florida and tiie southern parts of other 
southern States. It is called Mexican Clover, Spanish Clover, 
Florida Clover, water pursley, bellfountain, poor Joe, pigeon- 
weed etc. The analysis of this plant, made in 1874 by Mr. Mc- 



AM>()Tiib:H FoHAGE Plants. 15 

ftLui-lru', shows it to lie (njiiai to clover as green food, or hay. !t 
is as foihtws, being tlioroughlv air drieil : 

Oil, ' 1.50 

G.un. 1 r 13.80 

Siisar, dextrin etc. Jcarliolivdrates, -, 12.80 

Starch, I ■ 111.00 

(Jhlorophyl, ^ ( 5.20 

Gluten, ^ nitrogenous coni])onnds, ^ 0.90 

Albuminoids. j ' l -^-^O 

Cellulose, 33.30 

Jnorganie matter, 11.90 

^ 100.00 
The reader may compare with the analysis ofr<-d clover. I'he 
analysis of" the ash gave 

Insoluble silica, " 22.740 

Holublc silica. "2,740 

Lime, 29.45(; 

Magnesia, 1.G05 

Phosphoric acid, * 7.457 

Teroxide of iron, trace 

Sulphuric acid. 2.(n7 

Chlorine. 2.S4() 

Potassa, 2;}.824 

Soda, <;.<S()0 



99.039 
Tliis plant grows Inxui-iantly on our southern, sandy pine lands 
as well as red clover does on rich land and yields as much green 
or drv food. It attains a length of three to six feet and may be 
mowed and fed green, or (b'ied in the same manner as clover in 
order to save the leaves. When the land is once set with it, it 
■springs up from see<i early in spring. Crops may be cultivated 
on the land ; and if laid by before July, this plant springs up and 
.soon covers the ground. It is relished by horses and mules, 
cows and sheep. 

Peneti'ating the earth dee])ly with its roots, it bears drought 
well and brings up from the subsoil and prepares in roots and 
.stems most valuable fertilizers; being I'ich in lime, phosphoric 
acid, and remarkably so in potassa. By its dense shade in the 
heat of summer the soil is protected, evaporation of volatile fertil- 
izers prevented and ])lant food absorbed from the atmosphere. 
The physical condition of the soil andsul)Soil also is improved by 
its roots. In all these j)articulars its action is very similar to 
that of red clover. 

It is not known how far north it will flourish; but it is prob- 
able that on all the sandy pine lands of the States bordering the 
gulf, it will prove a very profitable crop for feed, fertilizing and 
soil-ameliorating purposes. 



\C) Farmee'^ Book OF (JuAssEs 

Medieiiuilly it is said to he used in Jamaica asa 8ul)stitute for ij)- 
( cac and is there (;alled wliite ipecac. In 1863, while superinten- 
dent of the laboratory at Mobile for preparing medicines for the 
southern army, Dr. Rohmer prepared and furnished the powder- 
ed roots of this plant to the surgeons, who testify that "it answer- 
ed every ])urpose." It belongs to the order Ilubiacese with cof- 
fee, madder, ipecacuanha, cinchona and other medicinal plants. 
A h(^avy cro]) of this plant, plowed under in the fall just before 
frost or immediately after l:>eing killed, should be followed the 
next vSpring by tol)acco, corn or potatoes. 

] V. The Bean Tribe. 

Tliese are mostly twining herbs bearing two-valved [)ods, not 
jointed. I'he fleshy cotyledons rising above ground in germiu- 
ation. Vv'e have seven native genera of this ti:imily. 

Phaseoeus. Bean, Kidney Bean. 

Of this we have four natives: P. i'EREN.\is, 2. P. diversi- 
FOLius, P. HEEVOEUS ami P. siNUATUs, plants of considera- 
ble value for cattle. 

Of the more valuable cultivated species may be named P. 
VULGARIS, Common Kidney, String, Pole, or Snap Bean ; P. 
NANUS, Dwarf or Field Bean; P. eunatub, Sieva, Lima or 
Butter Bean ; all much esteemed for the table ; the green pods 
of the lirsttwo and grc^en secnls of the last being used. In this 
connc^ction may bci mentioned also P. muetiflords. Scarlet 
Runner or Spanish Bean, with many showy white or bright scar- 
let flowers; and P. caraoalea. Snail Flower; the latter of lit- 
tle use, the former valuable for table and forage. There are ma- 
nv other cultivated varieties. 

DOEICHOS. 

D. LABLAB, Egyptian or Black Bean from India, and D. 
CHINENSIS, China Bean with its variety 'inelunojjldhcdinm, Black- 
eyed Bean are useful cultivated plants. Our native species D. 
MUETIFEORUS, Many flowered Bean, somewhat rare, might be 
cultivated. 

Our native GaladUis, Milk Pea, ClUor/a, Butterfly I\a, and 
Centrosema, Spurred Butterfly Pea are common and valuable, 
but they yield too little to justify cultivation. 

Southern Fieed Pea. 

Of all the varieties of Beans, however, there are none more 
valuable than most of those known in the South under the mis- 
nomer "■Field Pea." Of these there are many varieties. A va- 



And Otjtkr Forag?: Planth. 17 

riety with luther ,^niall yield of vine, l)ut an abundant yield of 
.small white seed, which whether green or dry, when cooked af- 
ford a delicious tender dish. Another white variety with lar- 
ger seed and more vine is also an excellent article for the din- 
ner table, but not so nice as the former. 

The "Wliippoorwill" with larger, mottled seeds of early, rap- 
id growth and may be mowed several times ; or when a few seed 
nuitnre the whole may be plowed under and soon another crop 
covers the ground. 

The Red Ripper, Black, Co^v Pea and others yield a heavy 
crop of seed and hay. They should always be sown among the 
corn broadcast or drilled each side of the corn row at the last 
woi'king. I always prefer laying by corn, as early as possible in 
Mav; both for a better corn crop and for ol)taining a heavier 
growth of the pea vines. Peas sown in June rarely yield half so 
much vine and leaf as those planted in May. Those planted in 
July groW' but a few inches high. I plant rather for the leaf 
and vine, of which I wish the largest possible growth both 
above and in the ground ; the root to release and bring up pot- 
ash, lime and pliosplnu-us from the deejicr subsoil and render the 
latter friable ; the vines and leaves to shade as densely as possi- 
ble at the time, (July, August and September,) when the earth 
so shaded absorbs with most avidity fertilizers from the atnios- 
])here in addition to tlie quantity assimilated by the plant itself. 

These field peas should be sown on all stubl)le lands also, as 
soon as the grain is mowed, either broadcast or ] Jo wed under ; or 
if seed be scarce, drilled in every fourth or fifth furrow. In the 
latter case they may be cultivated. By thus following the crops 
of grain with peas the land may be continually improved. Af- 
t<'r a single good crop of peas, even when mowed or pastured off, 
I am confident I have seen the yield of the next cotton crop in- 
ci-eased fifty or one hundred per cent on clay soils. 

Asa food crop they cannot be too highly prized ; they, like 
small grain and grasses, require no labor except sowing and har- 
vesting. A hand Avill pick as many pounds of peas as of cotton 
in a given time. Peas rarely sell for less than one dollar per 
bushel, oftener for more ; and as during the current year the pur- 
chaser sometimes pays three dollars per bushel. They are cheap 
at the highest price for fertilizing alone. Every one should 
save at least enough seed for his own next year's planting. 

In some parts of the country peas are very often much dama- 
ged bv the pea weevil, or bug. This may be obviated by letting 
them remain in the pod till ready to use; or when w^ell dry by 
threshing on dry dusty ground and gathering up dust with the 
seed. If threshed by machinery, dust or ashes may be supplied 
while putting in sacks, barrels or bins. Any air tight package 
will prevent insect depredations. But if put up in air tight pack- 
ages, they must be free from moisture. 



A scriouH ohjoctlrip. to kccpiiiii' in pitci ti'l ready t(^ plant i> 
that in tiic .spring wiien the air becomes \varin,tlie potln art' in- 
fested with numerons taites. When animal or person then touch- 
es the pods, the mites attack the intruder, penetrate the skin and 
produce an intolera!>k' itchintj' that will sometimes render person 
or animal franti(^ witli paiii. 

For feeding daring' the cool nu;!it])s, I much prefer tlumi in the 
pod. If im])ro})erly fc.!, however, to a hungry animal he may be- 
come chok-ed ; if free from hull, lie will eat too rapidly and will 
have colic. An aninjal that is to have a feed of dry ])eas should 
first be watered, then take a handful of pods, giving Idni one at 
a time ; after which there is no further danger. 

I*eas should yield as many l)ushels as corn on th( samc^ land if 
properly planted, cost misch less to produce and always sell for 
more. Or again ; on two ]>lats of land of the same quality plant- 
ed in totton and peas the crop of peas will pay many times 
more than the cotton in projiortion to expense of production. 

Now a uord as to pea vijie hav. This is not dilficuk to cwt 
with the hoe or scythe if in drills; nor ^vith a gocfd mower if 
broadcast. It is easily raked into long piles or larger nrande-.] 
ones, witli the he>i'se rake of proper construction. It re<|uires, 
it is true, more time and care to cure well than grass; paclcing 
loosely, it is more bulky and difficult to handle. Yet it is high- 
Iv relished by all live stock and is worth nu;<'h more thaji all 
the labor and expense of saving. AThen sniliciently drv it innsi 
be protected by a roof sufficient ro turn all rain. It may be 
housed in rail pens with rails for open floor a foot above grou.nd 
and others every few feet above; or in houses with rails, .slats or 
poles above ground and six to tvvclve inches apart for it to rest 
on and then poles through at intervals. In this way it may be 
cured in fine condition though housed wdien l)ut half dry. .^''en- 
tilators may be made bv nailing together three or four planks to 
form a tube extending from the floor upwards as high as neces- 
sar\^ After filling the house these tu])es may be witlidrawn for 
use in another place. 

It should have been mentioned that peas fed in the pod arc 
excellent for sheep; ami a few daily will keep tliejii in fme con- 
dition during our severest winters. 

The analysis of tiie pea and vine confirms tlie practical obser- 
vations of feeders and farmers as to the value of both as fi)od 
for animals and land. While containing less fat, they contain 
much more of the other and more valuable nutritive matters 
than any of tlie otlier forage crops. They contain also more ash- 
es jieculiarly rich in potash, lime and phosphoric acid, l)esides 
plenty of soda, magnesium and sulphuric acid. 



Am) Other Foils gh Plants. 19 

Glycine iiisfiDA. Japan l\a. 

This lyea.H (it isiint a pea) camo iniiU'V my observatioi! some 
twentv-nvo vears aij(>,a.s the Japan Pea. It was then cultivated 
to a limited extent ior a few years; but ceased to attract atten- 
riua till the close ofoiir civil war ; when it was again widely sold 
as tiie Soathern Relief Pea. Tiie eatalogues name it S!oJ<i ///.sy>/- 
da. Though not a climber, it may be the I)o!icho>< Soja, or Soy 
bean of China and Japan. 

In this country, this bean is probably not esteemed so b.ighiy 
as ii sliould be either for the table or for forage. Few people 
bi'ingit to the t;iiJe ]nore than once ; for when prepared as other 
beans it is inedible and disgusting. But when the ripe seeds are 
-oak<'<l from twelve to twenty-four hours they maybe cooked so 
as to afford a most delicious and nutritious dish. The soak ing 
changes the shape oftliebean from globose to oblong. 

The plant is erect, three or four feet high, nuich branched, 
bearing much foliage and a large numbor of few seeded pods. 
Live stock are fond of it. J5ut when old it contains much hard 
woody fibre and the seeds ixvo very hard and dense. 

For forage, it should be cut before it ceases l)looming; and it 
should be ra})idly cured, not too dry to prevent loss of foliage. 
As it does not pack vc^ry closely it (^an be housed less ])erfectly 
b"ied than many other forage plants. 

It grows rapidly and may be planted any time from April till 
July inclusive. On ground as pre])ared for other beans, corn 
or cotton, plant in rowstiiree feet apart, having the plants one 
io two feet apart iri the rov/s ; or in checks three feet each way 
\»iti) two oi' three plants in each check. Cultivate as corn or 

C*»ti!)U. 

This is probably th.e Sooja or ]Miso of Japan so much used in 
sou})s in that country. The soy or sauce made from these seeds 
is used three times a day, as salt with us, in nearly all dishes. 
The favorite Chinese curd-like ftish, J}>( hv, also is niade ofthese 
beans. 

CHAl^TER U. 



This family is very large, containing one-tenth of all known 
■pecies of flowering plants. Few of them are valuable as forage 
plants, some as human food, many as medicines; most of them 
are troublesome weeds and many of them pests on the farm. Only 
a few will be mentioned here. 



20 Faioieh'w Book of Grasses 

Heliaxthus. 

H. ANNUUR. The Sun Flower leaves contain eonsidcralde 
nutritive material ; and the seeds are very rich, especially in oil 
ofal)land character. They are better food for j)()ulti'y than for 
large animals. The plant is coarse, large and not sufficiently 
productive to be desirable as a farm crop. 

2. H. TUBEROSUS. Jerusalem Artichoke is more valual)le 
than the preceding. The leaves are nutritious and relished by 
stock. The plant is cultivated, hovv^ever, more for the tubers, 
which are produced in large quantities with little cultivation. 
They are wholesome, valuable food for stock. They remain in 
the ground without rotting or damage, and may be gathered by 
hogs at will. 

The tubers for planting sliould l)e cut in tiie same manner as 
Irish potatoes and planted like the latter or like corn i'vom one 
and a half to three feet apart in the rows. The rows should be 
from three to six feet apart according to quality of land. They 
may be planted in fence corners; and the hoeing to keep the 
fence-row clear of weeds will make the crop. In fence corners 
once planting is usually sufficient for annual crops. Thougli 
hogs be turned on them, euiuigh will be left for another crop from 
year to year. In the plowed land they should be cultivated like 
corn. The plants grow rapidly and require little attention. On 
good land the sun flower and artichoke both produce very large 
tall woody stems, those of the latter more branched. Where 
fuel is scarce and very costly, as on large praries, these plants 
may be profitably cultivatedfor fuel as Avell as food. This fuel 
is more especially adapted to use in the cooking stove. Being 
verv rich in potash, the ashes should be retunu'd to the soil. 

Achillea. 

A. MILLEFOLIUM. Yarrow, Milfoil. This plant is commend- 
ed by foreign writers as valuable in pastures. But its value 
probably consists mainly in its aromatic, bitter, tonic properties. 
But in this country, live stock usually find enough tonics in oth- 
er plants to serve all the requirements of health. 

CiCHORiUM, Succory. 

1. C. INTYBUS. Wild Succory, Chiccory. This plant also is 
commended by foreign writers for forage. But as it imparts a 
bad taste to milk and has no great nutritive value, it should be 
excluded from our pastures and fields. The sole use, for which 
it is cultivated in the United States, is for adulterating coffee, 
the roasted root being the part employed. As it has not the 
propertiesof coffee, the practise is a base fraud, a criininal swin- 
dle, from which the poor especially suffer. 



AxD Other Forage Plaxth. 21 



2. C. EXDIVA is the Endive or Garden Succory, the hlanch- 
i radical leaves of which are used as a salad. 

CHAPTER III. 



This family furnishes no plant of much value for forage or 
food of any kind. 

Pea NT A GO. Plantain. 

P. MAJOR. Greater Plantain, Way bread is diilTised nearly all 
over the world, following the foot-steps of man every where. 
It is of so little value for live stock that I would prefer not to 
have it in my pastures. It was long esteemed as an application 
(the leaves being used) to blisters, scrofulas, tumors and ulcers. 
Thus Shakspeare : 

""Eoineo. Your Plantain leaf is excellent tor that. 
Ben. For what I pray '.' 
Bon). For your broken shin." 

It has recently attracted much atteiition as an antidote for the 
poison of snakes, the juice being taken internally and applied lo- 
yally. But it is probably most valuable as a forage plant for 
birds, the spikes of seeds being gathered for cage birds. 

P. EAXCEOLATA. Buckhorn Plantain, English Plantain, Rib- 
grass. This is eaten by all live stock. In Great Britain it is 
planted for sheep pasture especially. On poor lauds it may be 
tolerated ; but it is of too little value in our countrf to be en- 
couraged, except for the amusement of children, who delight in 
sti'iking off the short spikes or heads, called "bullies" or "sod- 
gers." The seeds are relished by birds. 

CHAPTER lY. 



SvMPHTTUM AsPERRiMr:\[. Prickly Comfrey. 

This plant^ a native of Caucasus, was brought to England in 
1811 as an ornamental plant. Later it was cultivated as a forage 
]>lant to a limited extent, but was not esteemed by English for- 



22 Farmer's Book of Grasses 

iiiers. Ill Ireland it was grown more extensively and Ibund 
(j^uite valuable for dairy cattle. The bishop of Kildnre was es- 
pecially conspicuous in its culture at Glassnevin. On the Ca- 
rew castle farm, the experiments showed a yield of forage re- 
ported at 82 tons per Irish acre : — 2H^ tons in April, 'M tons in 
July, and 221 tons in Se])teniber. 

A few vears ago, Mr. Ashburner of Virginia introduced the 
best variety of prickly conifrey into America. From him, as 
soon as possible, I ol)tained I'oot cuttings and have grown it ever 
since. Some of the first jdants obtained remain in full vigor — 
all perhaps that w^ere not divided, nor permitted to seed. 

An analvsis of the comfrey, made by Voelcher, gave the fol- 
lowing results — the ])lant taken in green state and also dried at 
212° F. Natural state. drv. 

Water, _ 90.0(] 

Nitrogenous, or flesh forming matters, 2.72 29.12 

(containing nitrogen 4.34) 
Non-nitrogenous, or heat and fat pi-oducing 

coni]K)unds, 4.78 01.28 

Mineral matter, (asii) 1.84 U).60 



Water, 

(Jil and chlorophyl, 

*tSolul)le albuminous coin pounds, 

rlnsoluble " " 

Gum. mucilage and Sugai', 

Woody fibre (cellulose) 

Mineral saline matter^^ solul)le in water, 

Mineral nuitters insoluble in water, 



100.00 


100.00 


a lysis of Voelclu 


'r iiives: 


Natural state. 


dry. 


90.(;)(i 




.20 


2.20 


1.10 


11.81 


1.G2 


17.31 


1.28 


13.G5 


3.30 


34.43 


er, ' 1.25 . 


13.32 


.50 


().2s 



100.00 100.00 

-^Containing nitrogen, 1.75 1.88 

tContaining nitrogen, 2.59 2.78 

Like many other forage plants, comfrey, in a green state, con- 
tains a verv large per cent of water. It is extremely rich in mu- 
cilage and contains the essentials for forming flesh and milk in 
abuittlance with little increase of oil or butter. Hence when 
milk is too rich in oil or butter to be wholesome, as often occurs 
in the Jersey cow, feeding comfrey would reduce the excess oi" 
oily matters in the milk and increase the quantity of the latter. 

I find it excellent for nurs it uj .soi/w, and indeed for all kinds 
of hogs, cattle, horses, mules etc. Pigs for slaug;htering, feci free- 
ly with comfrey and sweet potatoes with a little*corn or meal, 
furnish probably the most deliciously nice pork that can be 
produced by any feed whatever. 



Axi) Other Forage Plants. 23 

Flavinti' a long taj) root, eonifivy is little affected by proloiig'etl 
(Irouglits. In ]<S79, we had a long drought terminating the 
last day of May. ^^ Pastures were parched, streams and springs 
dried up ; but the comfrey Hourislied, and on the first dav of June 
we Commenced cutting the fourth time since March. At such 
times it is extremely valuable for all farm animals; but especial- 
ly for hogs and cows. It may be cut six or eight times a year ; 
and if the seasons ar<^ very favorable perhaps ten times in mv lo- 
cality. 

It is said to yield on rich land eighty tons per acre ; and thirty 
tons is probably a medium or moderate crop. I do not doubt 
the (>stimate of the Carew castle farm crop. ()n good land the 
l)road leaves may attain a length of three feet and form an im- 
mense conical pile for each plant. Like other things of value, 
it requires some \vork with attention and patience ; and without 
these, tine would better not touch it or any other crop. From 
one-fourth to one acre, on every farm properly managed, cann<»t 
be better occupied. 

Comfrey can be propagated from seeds, root cuttings, crown- 
cuttings and stem-cuttings; — the seeds and roots being best. 
The seeds may be sown in autumn, winter or spring. If plant- 
ed early they may not appear till spring. They should be barely 
covered with soil. The roots may be cut in pieces an inch long 
and the larger ones may also be s])lit in two or more pieces and 
set almost any time if the ground is sufficientiy wet; — but best 
from Febuary first till April. I speak with a view to my own 
experience in latitude -'U'^. The plant is perennial and requires 
little cultivation after on(H' getting rooted. For large crops it 
must be manured whenever the yield falls off too much. 

The ground should be well broken and as deejdy as possil)Ie 
with convenience. The distance at which the cuttings or plants 
must be set will depend on the quality of the soil and the prep- 
aration. Two feet by one and a half would require 14,520 
plants j.er acre; 2J by U feet, 11,000 plants; 2 by 2 feet, 10,- 
81M) plants; and 2^- by 2 feet, 8,712 plants. This^'s as close as 
I would advise to plant ; and on very rich land I would have 
ihe plants three by three feet. Mr. Ashburner i^commended 
setting the cuttings very deep in the soil, and following his in- 
.structions in a heavy soil, .many of my cuttings never got out. 
Foui- or fiv(^ inches may do in very light soil, but in very heavy 
soil one inch is much l)etter. 

Most animals i-ecjuire some training to learn the value of" this 
plant and to acquire a relish fiu'it. But when they do eat, and 
it requires but little effort to induce them to try it, they become 
excessively fond of it. I have never found it necessary, as prac- 
tised by some persons, to confine animals to make them eat it, 
nor to mix it with other food. If hungry, the animal may be 
more readv to taste ; but even when full, thev have been indu- 



24 Far:mer's Eook ov Gha8sp:,s 

ced to test it. With a hand fuil of leaves, go among; your ani- 
mals; if one will take a leaf, others from jealousy will come and 
try one. If this does not succeed, have with your comfrey, some 
other green plant that will be readily taken, only enough to 
giye one animal a mouthful. Others seeing the one eating jvill 
come and try the comfrey. A few trials will get up a lively 
competition for what they soon regard as a choice luxury. They 
may at first nibble daintily ; l)ut soon eat greedily. Poultry also 
may be taught to eat it with great benefit. 

It is a very wholesome food and very valuable medicinally in 
inflamations of the mouth, throat, stomach and bowels; and 
may be used as an external local application in wounds and other 
injuries that become very hot and painful. 

CHAPTER y. 

C'f^iivolvtihf.^c Family. 



This family embraces a number of genera and species native 
in the south; some ornamental, as the quamoclits or cypress 
vines, morning glory etc. ; others are pests as the bind weeds, tie 
vines and dodder or love vine; a few are medicinal ; and two or 
three useful for food, as the hog potato and sweet potato. Only 
the last will be considered in this connection. 

Ip()>[EA. 

I. BATATiTs, or Batatlls eduIjIS. Of the sweet potato there 
are very manv varieties, in \vhich the forms of the leaves differ 
very greatly. The shape and size of the tubers differ greatly al- 
so, as well as the color of the epidermis or skin and of the liesh. 
The texture and flavor of the edible part differ much too in the 
varieties. Some Contain apparently no sugar, others a large 
(juantitv. All are highly valuable as food for man and beast. 
Horses, cows, sheep, swnne, poultry and many wild animals are 
very fond of them and they are superior food for all. 

The pork, bacon and lard made from swine fattened on sweet 
potatoes are firmer, ivhiter, xweeter, fes.s dispoi<ed to become rancid 
and are easier to cure than the same products from any of the 
grains or other foods. In the south, every farmer should pro- 
duce enough sweet potatoes to make them a large constituent in 
the rations of his family and all his live stock. If he has not 
enough to fatten his hogs, he should at the very least fimrish 
them abuntly during the last eight or ten days of the process. 
This will greatly improve the quality of the products. 

The potatoes may be fed to swine raw, but better cooked. 
Unless very small, if fed raw, they should always be cut or sliced 



A>D Othek Fue^ge Plants. 25' 

with a root cutter. Otherwise animals are liable to choke; but 
this is not the only or principal objection to feeding whole. 
There is great waste in several ways in feeding- whole large po- 
tatoes and that is the sort all should produce. But it is cruel to 
feed them whole ; for in attempting to bite off pieces the gums 
of the animal (even of the hog) are often badly lacerated and the 
blood flows freely. No animal can be benefitted under such suf- 
fering however fed otherwise. 

For milk cows, potatoes are very profitable in coml)ination 
with hay, grass and other foods. They improve the appetite, di- 
gestion and condition generally. 

For the horse there is no better food than sweet potatoes. In 
a warm climate, even in winter, I should say if a horse is to be 
deprived of corn or potatoes, let him have the latter. The rider 
or driver will soon discover that the animal has a softer smooth- 
er coat, a healthier skin and secretions, more life, elasticity and 
l)ottom than when fed on corn; that he will endure more hard- 
ship, render more service and last longer. 

For the table, we have nothing that may be prepared in a great- 
<^r variety of ways or that can furnish a greater number of ap- 
))etising dishes than the sweet potato ; to say nothing of its many 
other uses in domestic arts and medicine. 

The ijines. As fodder, nothing can be found richer, better, or 
more relished by live stock. Even when thickly covered with 
mould, they are readily eaten by animals. They are full of rich, 
starchy, sugary gum and milk and consequently very diflfieult to 
cure — cannot be dried at ordinary temperatures. 

When i-eady to harvest the crop, a very large plow may be 
used to tear ofi'and heap the vines. These vines may be hung 
on fences, stumps, rails, poles or under open sheds and thus par- 
tially dried. Those exposed to rain or dew should be used first; 
and those under shelter reserved indefinitely for emergencies du- 
ring winter. If not convenient to gather the vines ; long before 
harvesting the roots, calves and colts, or a milk cow or two may 
be turned on the vines an hour or more daily with much benefit 
to the animals and little detriment to the tubers if the growth of 
vines be rank. 

Cultivation of the Sweet Potato. 

A variety suitable for the purpose contemplated should be se- 
lected. If for the table, none can surpass the old white or rather 
creamy yellowish yam with deeply lobed leaves and slender vines. 
One or two other varieties are nice for the table, for starch and 
other purposes. But it is for stock food that we are to consider it 
here. The red or Cuba yam is approved by many because it is 
early, attains large size, mostly rounded and yields an abundant 
harvest. It however, contains less nutritive matter and more 



2(H Fakmek's Book of Gkasses 

wiiter tliaji any other variety that I have examined. Hence 1 
object to it. It has so little solid matter tliat it may be cooked 
through in one-half or oiu'-t()urth the time requii-ed to cook 
some other varieties. 

The Bermuda is another red variety with mostly elongated 
lirittle tubers — very many of them breaking in harvesting and 
the skin slipping off easily on prsssure. Yet I prefer this to the 
preceding. It yields largely and is more dense than the Cuba in 
texture. 

The Shanghie has a white tuber very hard, rather insipid, 
sometimes with much woody fibre, few rounded, but rather in- 
clined to elongate indefinitely, gradually diminishing in size as 
the roots of a tree. It yields largely of both vines and tubers. 
In harvesting the tubers are broken, the milky gum probably com- 
bined with some resin adheres tenaceously to the skin and what- 
ever else it may come in contact with, and it is very difficult to 
scrape or wash off. 

The Brazilian yam, another white variety is jny preference 
for forage. It is not so earlv perhaps as one or two other varie- 
ties; but it produces ijumense crops of vines and tubers, a goo(! 
proportion of the latter rounded, and containing a very la?-ge 
quantitv of nutritious material. Tiiey grow very large too, ran- 
o'ing from one to fifteen pounds in weight. Sometimes one is 
found that cannot be put into a peck measui-e. The Soufhcrti 
Queen is perhaps as valuable as the preceding. 

HoU. The sweet yam attains greatest perfection on a rather poor 
sandv clay soil. The Spanish re(pnres a similar soil but richer. 
The other varieties named above require still richer soils wirh 
less sand. The more sod, straw and weeds turned into the betl 
and covered the better provided there be earth enough to enalde 
tht^ plants to take root. The crop must l)e kept free from grass 
and weeds. No crop is more seriously damaged by grass than 
the sweet potato. They re(pui'e a large, loose, deep bed, and a 
little earthing up about t)nce. I greatly prefer a high flat l)ed tct 
the sharp ridge or conical hill. With the flat bed the cultiva- 
tion can be managed mostly with the plow, and the plants suf- 
fer less from drought, than in the sharp to]>])ed ridge. 

AVhatever mode be adopted, there is a tendency in the vines 
to strike root at every joint, especially if there be frequent falls 
of rain. These roots form tubers and diminish the siz(^ and 
(piantity of those in the bed. Hence it is well, when tliis occui-s 
to lift the vines from the ground so as to destroy these seconda- 
ry roots. 

Harvesting After removing the vines as al)ove described or 
otherwise, the bed may be opened with the digger, or with any 
large turning plow, hands following to pick up and pile the po- 
tatoes turned out at each passage of the plow. After all visible 
are thus removed a heavv harrow mav then be run over the 



A>iD Other .F()i;av;e Plants. 27 

gTouinl, which will hriug many bushels more to the light. IVat 
still miuiy will be left foreows, sheej), hogs, mules and hor.es to 
glean after a rain. 

Time to harvest . J would prefer, if 1 had the making of the 
seasons, to dig a day or two after a light frost to scorch the leaves 
and check growth. As to wet or dry condition of the ground, I 
find little dilference as to the keeping of the tubers. I have felt 
obliged to harvest when the tubers were covered with mud, 
sometimes the potatoes much smaller than the mass of adhering 
mud. They have kept perfectly sound through the entire year. 
It is more pleasant and rapid work to harvest when the ground 
is dry enough to crumble freely, but I have not found the 
tubers keep any better than when put away wet. A cold rain 
on them while iiarvestino' is danuipino;. 

But there is one infallible rule I think as to the time to har- 
\'est. Break or cut a few tubers ; if the raw surface dries and 
.-cabs over promptly, and the air is not too cold, the crop may 
be harvested at once without reference to any other indications, 
ft will be hard to make the tubers rot. But if the raw surfaces 
do not so dry, many will rot no matter wiiat course and meth- 
ods may be adopted to prevent it. The later the harvesting can 
safely be delayed tlie l)etter as some varieties grow most rapidly 
in the cool autumn when the nights are ehiliy. 

Sicefl and phinlirir/. My rule is never to plant the small, re- 
fuse potatoes. This soon runs down the valuable tuber. I se- 
lect my roots for planting while harvesting, reserving for that 
})urpose the largest, smoothest, most perfect tubers, and as near- 
ly globular as possible. In February J make a hot bed, in 
which I place these potatoes close together, but not touching. 
'I'he bed may l>e a yard wide and long enough to produce as many 
plants as may be desired. If the tubers are very large, I sj)lit 
through the middle and place the cut surface downward. As 
soon as the plants are large enough in April, they should be 
drawn and set out, the beds being at least four feet from middle 
to middle, and the plants along the middle eighteen to twenty- 
four inches apart. Frequent drawings should be made. It is 
not necessary to wait for rain, "seasons." INIake a grout by 
mixing in a hole in the ground recent coav dung and clay with 
water, dip the lower part of the plant in it, set out, pack earth 
firmly at bottom of root without bruising, pcnir in a little water, 
then cover the damp surface with earth loosely and your ])lant 
will gnnv. 

Cut vines also grow very readily managed in the same way. 
Whether cut vines or plants, I prefer to have not more than two 
eyes or leaves above ground. Either grows best by being put in the 
ground slanting. It consumes time and makes some work to 
cut off all the leaves from the part to be put in the ground ; but 
I prefer to do it, because the earth can be so much more nicelv 



28 Farmer's Book of Grasses 

fitted around the planter cutting. The leaves if buried rot off, 
leaving openings through which the plant dries up. The cut 
vines yield abundantly ; but I think plants make more round 
tubers. One accustomed to use his eyes for seeing, can distin- 
guish at a glance as far as he can see distinctly, a pile of pota- 
toes grown from plants, from another pile grown from cuttings 
of the small, refuse tubers generally saved for planting; the for- 
mer being nearer round, smoother, more symmetrical, larger, 
l>etter everv way. And there is about as much difference in 
quality as in appearance. 

Prodvx't. I think 200 l)ushels not a large crop per acre, and 
400 not difficult to attain. Yet liow many planters never get 
100 bushels per acre ? The most successful potato grower I ever 
knew thought 700 bushels per acre not a very extraordinary 
yield. The crop is easily made, the yield very large and may 
be fed or sold with immense profit. Yet how little attention does 
it receive on the cotton plantation of to-day I 

Saving. Drive, barely deep enough in the ground to hold, 
three boards so as to form a sort of rough tube, pile th(> potatoes 
around heaping u]) to a cone, cover with grass, corn stalks, or 
leaves, (pine straw is most convenient in some respects,) then 
with boai-ds and the last with earth from six to twelve inches in 
thickness, according to latitude, leaving the ventilator open, and 
lastlv a little above the top of all fix a cap to exclude rain. 

Another way is to arrange several such ventilators as de- 
scribed above, or any other shape, a few feet apart in a row, heap 
the potatoes along so as to form a long rick and (^over as above 
directed. Use from one end. 

Another way. Put in the ground three or four feet deep 
four posts eight or ten inches thick and projecting as high as de- 
sired above the ground, so arranged as to form the corners of a 
house. Pin or spike on to these posts thick planks or slabs in- 
side and out, and fill in between with earth ; cover with strong 
joists, floor and earth on that; put on a roof and the house is 
"completed and ready to receive potatoes. In this and the long 
rick the entrance should be at the south end ; and the earthen 
covering should be very thick at the north end. In very cold 
weather some straw or hay may be thrown over the top of the 
potatoes. I have been equally successful with each of these 
methods, having never lost potatoes but two seasons when not 
able to give ray personal attention to the storing. 

I have given much space to this subject ; but it is because its 
iniportanc'e demands it. We in the southern States can grow 
no cheaper or more profitable crop than the sweet potato. 



Farmer's Book of Grasses 29 

CHAPTER VI. 
The Night Shfifle Ftunily, 



While this family affords many poisons and valuable medi- 
cines and a few nice vegetables and condiments, as red pepper, 
egg plant and tomato ; it gives but one of much value as food, 
tlie Irish Potato. 

SOLANFM. 

S. TUBEROSUM. The potato is too well known to need de- 
scription and its value as food for man is every where recogni- 
zed. It is valuable also as food for live stock. But as it should 
always l)e cooked for them, is more expensive to grow, less rel- 
ished and less profitable than the sweet potato and less certain as 
a crop, I can not recommend it as a food crop for livestock. 

CHAPTER VII. 

Nettle, Buchtvhetit and fine-Appfe Faniities, 



1, The Netih' Family includes the Elms, Figs, Mulberries, 
Osage Orange, Hemps and Hops ; but no forage plant perhaps 
properly so called, although cattle eat with relish the foliage of 
some pbnts of this order. The leaves of the mulberry are quite 
nutritious. The Bmhmeria seems to be worthy of some attention 
as a forage plant. We have but one native representative of 
this genus ; but it is everywhere regarded as a nuisance. 

The B. nivea, (formerly Urtica iiivea) better known in Amer- 
ica by its Malayan name of Ramie, was introduced into many 
parts of the south some years ago as a fibre producing plant. It 
produces a most beautiful, strong fibre, of a transparent, glossy 
whiteness surpassing the finest specimens of linen. I have seen 
nothing in textiles more beautiful than handkerchiefs and shirts 
made of Ramie fibre of American growth. It is from this that 
the famous Chinese grass cloth is made. It is said to be supe- 
rior to all other materials for Brussels lace. 

This plant grows readily from seed and from root-cuttings and 
may be rapidly multiplied. It may be cut three times a year, 
yielding an immense quantity of fibre. It requires little culti- 
vation after once fairly started to grow. But being a new thing 
requiring a new mode of industry and special machinery for 
prepariag it for market, it has nearly disappeared from our 
countrv. 



80 Farmer's Book op Grasses 

It yields in its broad leaves an immense quantity of foliage 
much relished by cattle ; and a few persons who could not other- 
wise utilize it, fed to their cows. I have no doubt it is very 
valuable as a forage plant and deserves special study as to its nu- 
tritive qualities. Jt is easily mowed with a machine. 

2. Oi' the BuckivJieatfamily, we have several native and exotic 
genera and many species ; mostly noxious weeds, some ornameji- 
tal and but few useful. The docks are pests as also some of the 
smart weeds; though some of the latter are eaten by sheep. Of 
Fagopyruin, Buckwheat there are two cultivated species and sev- 
eral varieties. It is commended much as forage in some coun- 
tries. Three crops a year may be grown in the southern States. 
The seeds are good for poultry and pigs and when well cleaned, 
ground and pre})ared for the table, by many people much relish- 
ed as Buckwheat cakes. I have planted Backwheat several 
years at intervals. But as a forage crop, or for plowing under 
as a fertilizer, I tiiink we have many other plants much more 
profitable for the use of the southern farmer. 

3. Of the Pine- Apple family , we have but one plant to mention 
in this connection. Tillan(l><i(t usneoide^i, Black moss, Spanish 
moss, long moss is an air plant found growing luxuriantly on 
trees in large districts in matsy southern States. The Heshy 
leaves and epidermis contain considerable sugai* and other nu- 
tritious matters, and are used in some countries in times ofscar- 
citv of other food for cattle. Some horses also are fond of it. 
The uses of the long, black, tough, fibrous central tiiread in va- 
rious manufactures are well known evei-y wIhmt. 

CHAPTER A^III. 

The Sedfie JFfimih/. 



This family is represented in the southern States by over 20 
genera and about 250 species, mostly worthless, a few great pests, 
and a few useful. They are rush-like, or grass-like plants with 
the solid stems mostly 3 angled, the grass-like leaves when present 
commonly three ranked, the sheath a closed tube, and the invo- 
lucre at the top of the stem consisting of grass-like leaves, often 
very long. These plants contain little nutritious matter and 
are not much relished by cattle. When hungry, however, thev 
may eat bog or swale hay, which is made up largely of the 
sedges. 

1. Cyperus repens, the common grass nut is generally 
known and sometimes cultivated for its sweet little uut-like tu- 
bers, much relished by all live stock, children and older people. 
They are sometimes found in the markets. 



And Other Foraoe Plants. 31 

'1. C. ESCULENTUS, the cliufa iVom Europe is much like the 
preeedino- in flavor, not quite so sugary, tubers more flattened 
and elongated. Both are very nutritious, the latter more pro- 
lific, yielding a large amount of excellent food, especially for 
pigs and poultry. It is propagated from the tubers, planted 
singly in a loose soil ten or fifteen inches apart in rows tM^o feet 
apart. Both kinds are planted alike. The Chufa produces its 
tubers just under the surface of the ground and they are easily 
found by pigs and poultry. These animals having free access to 
them will exterminate them in a single season. The grass nut 
burrows a little deeper and is not so easy to destroy; yet it is not 
troublesome. 

3. C. PHYiiATODEH and 4. C. roti^ndus, (variety Hydva) 
Nut-grass, CJoco-grass are fearful ]>ests, very difficult to eradicate 
and causing many a fine farm and garden to l)e abandoned. 
Hogs are fond of the bitter, rank-od(»red tubers and by rooting 
for them damage lands seriously. The under ground stems and 
fibrous roots are literally woven together in such a dense, strong 
fabric as to render plowing tough work and hoeing very uncom- 
fortable. The i)lants improve tenaceous clay lands and prevent 
washing. I would advise, however, to saflPer not one to grow any 
where. They multiply with astonishing rapidity. On clay lands 
infested] by them good corn crops may be made and still better 
cotton crops. It requires more hard work than on other lands. 
But after one good plowing and careful hoeing of the crop, they 
give very little further trouble for the season. In most other 
crops they are utterly intolerable. 

Like (juack grass, these plants grow through Irish potatoes; 
and not unfrequently tubers are found within potatoes. H an 
eye happens to stop within a potato, it seems to develop a tubei- 
there as readily as any where else. 

Many experiments and attempts have been made to destroy 
these Coeos. If the place occupied be small, shaving daily the 
surface of the ground so as to remove the preceding twenty-four 
hours' growth of leaf will in course of time exhaust the tubers 
and thus destroy the plants. For they can make no new tubers 
if prevented from leaf-making. On larger spaces, by obtaining 
early in spring a dense growth of vinesof our common field pea, 
I have so far destroyed it as to have little trouble with it for 
two or three succeeding years. 

I have tried other experiments with it, such as watering it 
with crude carbolic acid of full strength, without any apparent 
injury to the plant. The most satisfactory results I have had 
were obtained by sowing, on ground as thickly set with it as 
possible, red clover seed. When a full stand was not obtained 
at once on any part I reseeded till it was covered. In two or 
three years not a sprig of coco could be found ; while all the time 
I was having fine clover crops, worth more probably than any 



32 And Other Forage Plants. 

other ci'op that eoukl have been grown on the same land even 
thongh free from the Coco. 

Cladium effusum is the Saw grass of marshy placea, with 
its saw-edged leaves working fearful damage to clothes and skin 
of those coming in contact with it. 

The principal use of the Cnrex sfricta, or tussock grass is as a 
footing to persons crossing boggy lands. 

CHAPTER IX. 

The Cfrftss F'aniih/, 



The first and oldest fiat ever uttered calling into existence 
any organized V)eing of which we have any knowledge or record 
went forth as soon as the land was born from the watery womb 
of the Abyss; and it runs thus : '^ Let the Earth bri7ig forth grass." 
— Gen., I, 11. Promptly Earth donned her emerald robe. Ge- 
ology confirms the record that grasses were among the earliest 
organized things of our terraqueous globe. And this must neinls 
be so, since it is written "bread is the staff of life" and declared 
that "All flesh is grass." The greatest earthly blessings con- 
ferred on men and animals are derived from a luxuriant growth 
of grasses; the greatest distresses and curses, from their ai^sence 
or destruction. 

This very large family or Order furnishes a greater number 
of useful plants than any other. And they are in many respects 
more valuable and more essential to the support of animal life 
than all others together. Besides fibres for cordage and textiles 
of many kinds, coal and other fuels, many other materials use- 
ful in many arts, sugars and syrups, they supply the bulk of 
foods for man and beast. 

As illustrating the value of this family, it may be stated that 
the value of the annual products of grasses in the United States 
is several times greater than that of the cotton crop of the whole 
world. Even the hay crop of the United States is worth more 
than the entire cotton crop of the whole world. 

The farmer, therefore, has a deeper, more abiding interest in 
this order of plants than in all othei's. For what would be the 
condition of man without maize, wheat, barley, oats, rye, rice and 
sugar cane ? What of animals without other grasses ? Yet on- 
ly a few of the thousands of species can be mentioned here. 

Leersia. 

1. L, ORYZOiDES. White Grass, Cut Grass, False Rice. 
This beautiful native grass is found in wet, swampy places, and 
along the margins of ditches and streams. The stems grow 



XSD OTtlElt FOIIAGE Pl.AMS. 33 

iVoiu t^\■o ro lour feet high, commuiily prostrate at the hase. 
The leaves are long and narrow, and the sheaths very rough an<l 
sharp to the hand drawn downward in eontaet with them. 

2. L. VIRGINICA. Small Howered NAdiite (JrUss, Virginia 
("ut Grass. This grass also is beautiful, UKtre Uelieate and 
smoother than the preceding. It grows in the same localities as 
the other. Both have been cut for hay, of which it is claimed 
by some, they make an t'xcellent <[ualit_y. As they often grow in 
soft mud and shallow water, they must be moved to dry land 
as soon as cut in order to diy them. Tiiey are not of sufficient 
value to induce any one to grow them; but yet where growing 
spontaneously, they nuiy be mowed with ])roiit. 

3. L. HEXAMDHA. This species, with slender stems from 
one to six feet long and narrow rigid leaves, would be of little 
value if it could be ni(t\ved. I>ut as it grows in lakes and ponds 
even th(»ugh watei' l)e pi'etty dec[), this is impracticable. 

4. r^. LENTKThAKis. Catch Fly (irass. This species having 
much the same liabit as the i>rec(>ding is of as little value. It is 
chietly interesting because Pui-sh says that he has observed it 
catching iiies with its pales, which in structure resend)le the leaves 
of the Venus' fly-trap. 



ZlZAM A. 



1. Z. AQUATicA, Wild Rice, Indian Rice, Water Oats. This 
grass abounds in nuu'shes, ponds, shallow streams and on some 
of the floating islands (jr shaking prairies. The broad leaves are 
rough underneath and the stems from four to ten feet high, bear- 
ing a widely spreading pyramidal panicle one or two feet long, 
the long lower brunches of which bear the staminate l)looins, the 
upper erect branches bear the pistilate or fertile flowers. The 
cylindrical seeds, half an inch long, when ripe fall l)y a slight 
motion of the stems, and furnish a large quantity of food for birds 
and other animals. The Indians often harvest the seed for their 
own food, as other races may have done in some cases, this being 
the/o//e avoine of the early French settlers < if the Mississippi val- 
ley. When the anthers burst, the grains of [)ollen, being light- 
er than the atmosphere, float up to the stigmas ; just the reverse 
of what occurs in our Indian corn. This grass is relished by 
stock, maybe cut twice a season, and yields a large quantity of 
good hav. It must be cut before maturity to obtain the best re- 
sults. 

2. Z. MiLiAdEA, Prolific Rice, grows in the same localities 



34 Fakmeu's Book of Glasses 

as the preceding, nearly as tall ; panicles Nvith staniinate and pFs- 
tilate spikeiets intermixed ; leaves somciwhat glancons, smooth, 
witli rough edges ; grain o\al, and in great abundance. It may 
be used in all respects as the preceding. When the spring and 
summer prove dry, many of our shallow lakes dry up, leaving 
these and othei- water grasses growing luxuriantly. Planters 
for miles around mow and utilize these gratuitous harvests. 

Oryza. 

O. SATTVA, Rice, from Asia, but now cultivated in many 
parts i)f both hemispheres of our globe forms the principal arti- 
cle of food to more millions of the human race probably than any 
other grain. In our southern States, we have several varieties 
of rice^ known as white and red ; awned and beardless; upland 
and lowland. The larger quantity is produced on lands that 
may be flooded and thus kept clear of most weeds, and the ex- 
pense of cultivation reduced to a minimum. But on the other 
hand, snuill areas for home consumption and as an auxilliary 
crop are cultivated over a very large portion of the southern 
United States in highland rice. The large grained beardless 
white is the variety usually preferred for uplands. To rendei- 
cultivation easy, many farmers annually clear a "new ground" 
for the rice crop, as by this means the plants are less beset with 
grasses and Aveeds and the cultivation is lighter work, it is on- 
ly as food for live stock (cattle especially) that it is here noticed. 
The seeds mature v/hile the stems and leaves are still quite green. 
These last when properly cured constitute a valuable hay. The 
upland rice planted on new land in April matures a crop of 
large-sized grain of the best quality and a large quantity of hay. 
If the season be favorable, a second crop from the same roots of 
smaller growth and smaller grain may be mowed in October for 
hay. Both, usually thrown away, are very valual:)le and should 
be carefully utilizfMl. 



Alopecurus. 



1. A. ciENioULATUS, Floating Fox-tail Grass. The culms 
of this grass are from G to 12, rarely 18 inches long, bearing 
compressed cylindrical spikes from 1 to 1^ inches long, bent, 
geniculate at the lower joints; leaves 3 or 4 inches long, the 
sheath of the upper one about as long as its leaf, which distin- 
o-uishes it from meadow fox-tail in which the upper sheath is 
more than twice the length of its leaf. It blooms from Febru- 
ary till May, growing in damp cultivated grounds and mead- 
ows, ditches, ponds and sluggish streams. It is of little Avorth. 



(xreen. 


Dried. 


80.20 




2.44 


13.32 


.52 


2.92 


8.59 


43.12 


(J. 70 


33.83 


1.55 


7.81 



And Other Forage Plants. 35 

2. A. PEATENsis, Meadow Fox-tail, is larger than the preee- 
ding-, 2 to 3 feet high, grows with great luxuriance, and in Eng- 
land is regarded as holding a i)laoe \vith the hest grasses, both 
as green forage and as hay. 

AVay's Axat,ysts. 
AV^ater, 

Albuminous or flesh forming prineijiles, 
Fatty matters. 

Heat producing princi])les, starch, sugar, etc., 
Woody fibre, 
jNIineral matter or ash, 

100.00 100.00 

This grass resembles timothy in appearance, but the head is 
soft, Avhile that of timothy is rough. It grows after cuttino- 
much more rapidly than timothy ;ind bears grazing better 
though it does not attain perfection till two or tliree years old. 
Ji grows l)est on rich, moist or even wet soils and is one of the 
Uiost valuable of grasses. 

PlTLEI M. 

P. PRATENSE, Timothy. 

About one hundred and seventy years ago, a Mr. Herd found 
this grass in a swamp in Xew Hampshire. He cultivated it; oth- 
ers Ibllowed his example and called it Plerd's grass, by which 
name it is still know in New York and the New England States. 
It must be noted, however, that this is not the herd's grass of 
the other States. From the sha])e of the spike it is often called 
Cat's-tail grass. About the year 1720, it was brought to Mary- 
land by Timothy Hanson, who cultivated it so successfullv on 
the Hanson farm as to give it a Avidespread fame and the familiar 
name now generally accepted for it. 

Loudon claims it as a native of England. The Am. Farmer's 
Cyclopedia says it is "perennial, native of Britain," and in the 
next sentence but one says, "This is a great Amcr/caii grass, and 
is called timothy from Mr. Timothy Hanson, who first introdu- 
ced its seeds into Maryland." It may have become naturalized 
in America at a very early time ; but from a large amount of 
testimony, ^vith which these pages need not be encumbered, 
there is strong reason to believe that it is a native of the United 
States, and was taken from A'irginia to England about the year 
1760. It atti-acted but little attention in England till 1824, 
when Sinclai]"'s Woburn Abbey experiments were made. 

The more elaborately accurate investigations of Prof. Way ful- 
ly establislied its value. Subjoined is 



36 



Fau.mek's Book of G^AStii 



Peof. Way's Analysis. 



Green. 



Dry, 



57.21 




4.8() 


11..% 


1.50 


8.55 


•I-l.Ho 


5;3.;35 


1 1 .;i2 


26.40 


•l:2ii 


5.2.S 



Water, 

Albuminoids, 

b'atty matter,^. 

Heat produring' principles, 

Woody fiV)re, 

Ash, ■ 

100.00 100.00 

These cxperiuients and tmalyses haye no doubt contributed 
largely to the extended cidture of timothy as a hay grass. This 
o-rass being easily handled, the hay haying a tine appearance and 
subject to little waste in transportation also serye to render it a 
fayorite for marketing. Analyses showing further that this 
trrass cut when the seeds are fully ripe Cfuitains twice as much 
nutriment as when cut in bloom, this fact also seryes to render 
it more generally popular. But this yeryfact, while perhajs 
fully comprehended by the shrewd fai-mer, is liable to ndslead 
the ptirchaser. The increased nutriment is accumulated in the 
ripe seeds. These the farmer threshes out, ships the hard, woody 
stems, and sells the seeds to other farmers for more than his hay 
brino;s him. Or if he use such hay at home, it is so difficult to 
dio-est that it taxes the powers of the animal and then a large 
portion of the nutritiye matter is lost from the inability of th<' 
assimilatiye organs to appropriate it. 

Timothy is a yery destuetiye (U'op in one sense ; it exhausts 
and impoverishes the soil yery rapidly unless heavily manured. 
Its r<jots penetrate to little depth, and in two or three years it 
exhausts the soil near the surliice. This may be obviated to a 
certain degree by growing red clover with it. But this is an un- 
satisfactory arrangement because the clover is ready to mow 
long before the timothy. If mowed when the clover is ready, 
the loss in timothy will be great; if mowed when the timothy is 
ready the loss of clover will be greater. 

Yet it makes a very superior hay and if heayily maunred, nol 
kept too long on the same land, and specially if fed on the farm 
and the manure therefroni returned to the soil, no great loss or 
damage will be incurred. I do not regard it, however, as the 
best or most desirable hay grass for the south. On dry upland 
the roots become bulbous, it bears drought and grazing badl}' 
and sht>uld be cut early to obtain the best adyantages from it. 
It succeeds best on moist bottom land, but does not bear gi'a- 
zing very well in any situation iii the south. But it will give 
as heavy mowings in the soiithern States as any where. I 
have, however, ceased to grow it, although on good land it will 
yield four tons per acre. But this quantity of timothy luiy 
removes from the soil six hundred povnd-'< or n ore of potash 
per acre. 



AiND Other Foeage Plants. 37 

It should be sown on well prepared land in September or Oc- 
tober, February or March, at the rate of twelve to fifteen pounds 
of seed per acre, and harrowed. 

In the eastern States it has been more and more damaged each 
succeeding year by an insect killing the stems, and the same may 
occur in the south. 

It should have been stated that in mowing, timothy should 
be cut above the second joint as it then recovers more promdtly 
than when cut close to the ground. 

Sporobolus. 

S. iNDicus, Smut grass. 

This perennial plant from India is thoroughly naturalized and 
at home in our southern States. In some localities it is known 
as ^carpet grass.' But we have several other carpet grasses. 
After blooming a large proportion of the panicles become af- 
fected with a dark parasitic growth, which adheres to the cloth- 
ing of any one coming in contact with it, giving it a smutty ap- 
pearance ; and hence it is appropriately and more generally 
termed smut grass. 

It grows abundantly and luxuriantly on many uncultivated 
fields and commons, and furnishes grazing from April till frost. 
It thrives under much grazing and many mowings, and grows 
promptly after each if tlie soil be moist enough. Cattle and 
horses are fond of it, if frequently cut or grazed down. But if 
allowed to remain untouched long, they will not eat it, unless 
very hungry as it becomes tough and unpalatable and probably 
difficult to digest. It grows in clumps producing many long 
leaves one to three feet, and culms, the latter generally eighteen 
inches to two feet high, though on rich land sometimes three 
feet. July 27, I have just measured some 4 feet 8 inches. The 
long, (6 to 18 inches) slender, compact paniclsBS usually appear 
like spikes unless closely examined. 

Like other grasses, especially Bermuda, Johnson and gama 
grass, it must be cut early and often to make good hay. But 
under the most favorable circumstances it does not make a very 
choice hay, although containing a large quantity of nutritive 
principles as shown by Mr. Collier's analysis, which is here 
given : 

Proximate analysis of Sporobolus Indicus from Mississippi. 



Oil, 


2.99 


Anylaceons cellulose 


27.06 


Wax, 


.31 


Alkali extract. 


14.16 


Sugars, 


8.17 


Albuminoids, 


12.46 


Gum and dextrin. 


2.75 


Ash, 


6.19 


Cellulose. 


25.91 







100.00 



38 Farmer's Book of Grasses 

Analysis of Ash. 



Potassium, 12.16 Sulphuric acid, 4.60 

Potassium oxide, 33.53 Phosphoric acid, 6.02 

Sodium, Silicic acid, 27.36 

Sodium oxide, Chlorine, 11.03 

Calcium oxide, 2.64 

Magnesium oxide, 2.66 100.00 

Its generic name is founded on the fact that it sheds its seeds 
so easily ; and hence it has been called also Indian drop-seeds. 

Of several other species found in the southern States, none 
need special mention. 



Muhlenbergia. 



M. diffusa. Wire Grass, Nimble Will, Drop-seed Grass, 
Tliis and Bermuda grass are often mistaken for each other. But 
the stems of this are not so much covered by the sheaths as in 
the Bermuda ; the leaves are shorter and broader in proportion 
to length, rougher and lighter tinted than in Bermuda ; it has 
but one leaf to each node and joint, while Bermuda has two or 
three and even four ; and the culms of the latter are crowned 
with usually three to five digitate spikes, while the former has 
an appressed rather long panicle. Both are perenniaL Wire 
grass aifects the open woodlands ; Bermuda, open sun-exposed 
fields. Bu- the latter is often found in open woodlands also ; 
and sometimes we see its possession of the open field contested 
by the former with pretty equal success for years. The wire 
grass is more wiry, grows taller and is less nutritious, less di- 
gestible and 1 ess relished by stock than the Bermuda. 

Yet it has a very good percentage of nutritive matter as shown 
by Mr. Collier's 



Analysis of muhlenbergia diffusa. 



Oilj 1.39 Amylaceous cellulose, 19.81 

Wax, .43 Alkali extract, 23.89 

Sugars, 8.96 Albuminoids, 10.06 

Gum and dextrin, 4.48 Ash, 7.61 



Cellulose, 23.37 



100.00 



And Other Forage Plants. 39 

Analysis of ash. 

Potassium, 6.78 Sulphuric acid, 3.39 

Potassium oxide, 17.32 Phosphoric acid, 6.65 

Sodium, 1.33 Silicic acid, .39.98 

Sodium oxide, Chlorine, 8.21 



Calcium oxide, 11.95 

Magnesium oxide, 4.39 100.00 

The analysis shows that those who esteem it as a butter pro- 
ducing grass have good reasons for their faith. Some think it 
also imparts a specially agreeable flavor to butter. Some say 
their stock are fond of it and that feeding on it in ^the range' 
they become sleek and fat. My own horses, mules, cows and 
hogs have never seemed to like it ; and although sheep eat it 
readily and profitably, I am obliged to confess 1 regard it on 
one piece of land at least as one of the worst pests I have ever 
had. I have mowed it from two to four feet long and made 
pretty good hay of it; and it is easily cured. But it is difficult 
to control and exterminate ; and I would prefer not to have it 
on my lands, occupying the place of better kinds. 

Another species, M. Mcx'wana, is very similar in all respects. 
A large area must be mowed and a huge bulk of these grasses ac- 
cumulated to obtain a considerable weight of hay. 

The several other species are of too little agricultural value 
to merit special notice. 

Cala magrostis. 

C. CANADENSIS, Bluc Joiut Grass, grows in bogs, reclaimed 
marshes and moist meado^^^s in many parts of the eastern, north- 
ern States and about lake Superior. The culms are from 3 to 5 
feet high. On soil suited to it, its growth is rank and luxuriant 
and it yields an immense quantity of hay. It is greedily eaten 
by stock. I am not aware that this grass has ever been tried 
on any of the bogs or wet lands of the south. Our southern 
species, G. coareatata, or glaucous small reed grass is rare, grows 
in swamps and has attracted no attention. The C. arenaria, 
beach grass, mat grass, sea-sand reeds grass, of no agricultural 
interest directly, is yet very valuable in many parts of the world, 
doing what King Canute could not. Only two or three feet 
high, its roots 20 to 30 feet long, are full of tubers, strong, and 
bind the sands and hold them against the action of winds and 
waves and thus prevent the encroachment of the seas. It has 
been the subject of much legislation, municipal. State and na- 
tional, on both sides of the Atlantic ocean ; and much property 
has been saved by a judicious planting of this grass, in the east- 
ern States. 



40 Fakmer's Book of Grasses 

Spartina. Marsh Grass. 

In the south are four species growing in brackish marshes. 
These, especially ^S'. pohjstackia with culms 4 to 9 feet high and 
leaves ^ to 1 J inches wide, furnish in spring and summer a large 
quantity of green forage, esteemed very valuable. But they 
can be grown only on limited areas and are of so doubtful util- 
ity that more special notice is not demanded. 

Agrostis. 

1. A. VULGARIS, Red Top Grass. This is the bent grass of 
England, the herd grass of the southern States; not in honor of 
any man, but probably because so well adapted to the herd. It 
is called also line top. Burden's and Borden's grass. Varying 
greatly in characters according to soil, location, climate and cul- 
ture, some botanists have styled it A. polymorpha. It grows two 
to three feet high and I have mown it when four feet high. It 
grows well on hill tops and .sides, in ditches, gullies and marsh- 
es ; but delights in moist bottom land. It is not injured by 
overflows though somewhat prolonged. In marshy land, it pro- 
duces a very dense, strong net work of roots capable of sustain- 
ing the weight of men and animals walking over it. 

It furnishes considerable grazing during warm 'spells' in win- 
ter, and in spring and summer an abundant supply of nutrition. 
It has a tendency, being very hardy, to increaee in density of 
growth and extent of surface, and will continue indefinitely, 
though easily subdued by the plow. 

Cut before maturing seed, it makes a good hay and large 
quantity. It seems to grow taller in the southern States, than it 
does further north, and to make more and better hay and grazing. 
It and timothy being adapted to the same soils and maturing at 
the same time do well together and produce an excellent hay. 
But the red top will finally root out the timothy — if pastured 
much it will do so sooner. 

Sow about two bushels (24 lbs.) per acre, if alone, in Septem- 
ber, October, February or March ; if with timothy for hay, from 
6 to 10 pounds ; if with other grasses for pasture, 3 to 5 pounds. 
It is an excellent pasture grass, and will grow on almost any 
kind of soil. 

2. A. ALBA. White top, dew grass, bonnet grass, has become 
naturalized in some of our southern swamps. In similar local- 
ities we have also 3. A. perennans and 4. A. elata, (A. dispar, 
Mich.) The latter or southern bent grass, is stouter, has^broader 
leaves, and more numerous creeping roots and furnishes more 
grazing and hay but coarser than the true red top. It deserves 
the attention of those having lands adapted to it. On sterile 
lands now and then may be seen 5. A. scahra, hair grass, tickle 



And Other Forage Plaxts. 41 

grass, more curious than valuable. Its large, loose, delicate 
j^anicles when dry, break off and sail away on the wind. It is 
hence called fly-away grass. 

G. A. ST()i>()NiFERA, var. T.ATi FOLIA, largcd leaved creeping 
bent grass, or Fiorin, Faureen of Ireland, has attracted much 
attention in that country as yielding large crops of hay, from 
four to seven tons per acre. Those who have marshes otherwise 
useless, would proliably find their profit in introducing this 
grass. 

C'VNODOX. 

C. DACTYLON. Bermuda Grass. This plant is called also 
scutch grass, dog's tooth grass, (a literal translation of Cynodon,) 
wire grass. Messrs. Darlington and Thurber quote Sir James 
Edward Smith, the botanical editor of Rees' Cyclopedia, as say- 
ing, in the article J'ANICU^i davtylon, that "This grass was per- 
ceived by Mr. Lambert to be no other tlian the Agrostis linearis 
of Kcenig, Retzius and Willdenow, — the Durvaof the Hindoos, 
— which the late Sir William Jones, in the fourth volume of the 
Asiatic Researches, has celebrated tor the extraordinary beauty 
of its flowers, audits sweetness and nutritious quality as pasture 
for cattle." This points to Ilindostan as the native land of Ber- 
muda grass. Yet Loudon, on the authority of the English Bot- 
anist in 36 volumes by this same Sir James Edward Smith and 
James Sowerby, claims that it is a native of England. Here 
seems to be a clash between Smith's Cyclopedia article and his 
Botany. lioudon's description is clearly that of Bermuda grass, 
or as he has it, Ci/nndon dacti/lon. In the next line he gives 
Cynodon linearis, as native ot the East Indies and introduced 
into England in 1796. His description of this plant does not 
at all suit Bermuda grass. He says further, Cynodon linearis, 
the Agrostis linearis of Kcenig, is the famous durva grass of the 
Hindoos, for which, see Lambert in the Linn, trans. VII, No. 
22. 

In the Department of Agriindture, Report for 1878, Messrs. 
Geo. V^asey, Botanist, and Peter Collier, Chemist, state that 
"This grass is a native of Europe, and is abundantly naturalized 
in many other countries. It is said to be a common pasture 
grass in the West Indies." Hence I think it clearly evident that 
Bermuda grass is neither the sacred Durva of the Hindoos, nor 
a native of Hindostan, nor what Mr. Howard in his pamphlet 
calls "the celebrated Daub sacred grass of India." It seems ev- 
ident to me that Smith in the Cyclopedia article inadvertently 
substituted the C. linearis for C. dactylon, and hence all the er- 
rors about it since the .publication of Rees' Cyclopedia. Since 
the above was written, I read in the American Agriculturist for 
1880, page 64, "Bermuda grass, or Scutch grass in our southern 



42 Fak.meu's Book of Grasses 

States, (.i-eepiiig Dog's-tooth grass in England, Chiendent in 
!<' ranee, and Doob or Dnrva in the East Indies, are different eom- 
nion names for the grass called by botanists ih/nofhn fhu-tyloti.'^ 

This writer continues :— "In one respect it is the most remark- 
able grass within our knowledge, as one can with equal ease tind 
that it is the most valuable of all the grasses, and one that is to 
restore wori|-out southern fiekls, and bring untold blessings 
wherever introduced, or that on the other hand that it is a curse 
to the soil, and that when this once gets a footing upon a farm, 
the owner may as well give it up at once, as to do so at the end 
of a struggle in which he is sure to be worsted." One side or the 
other may be true as one's stand point may be ditferent from that 
of another. It without previous preparation of the land, one 
breaks it up while well set with this grass and plants his crop, he 
will tind it indeed an unmitigated curse in the management of 
his (trop. If on the other hand he needs it as a ]>asture and hay 
grass and renovator of the soil he will pronounce it as nearly as 
can be an unmixed blessing. 

Sixty years ago Mr. Elliott said very justly, of this grass, it is 
"tender, delicate, growing over and bintling the most arm and 
loose sands in our country, and apparently preferred by stock of 
all descriptions to every other grass." The last portion of this 
statement has been verified annually for the last thirty years on 
a common three miles west of Woodville, Mississippi, hundreds 
of animals feeding there on this grass summer and winter. This 
is true also of localities on the St. Catharine bottoms near Nat- 
chez and hundreds of other places. 

INIr. Elliott adds "The cultivation of this grass on the poor 
and extensive sand hills of our middle country would probably 
convert them into sheep walks of great value ; but it grows in 
every soil, and no grass in close, rich land is more formidable 
to the cultivator ; it must therefore be introduced with caution." 
Thousands can confirm this statement also. Yet I know farm- 
ers who take pains to introduce and retain it on their cultivated, 
'close, rich lands.' But they keep it under sufficient subjection 
to interfere but little with cultivation ; and they think that by 
preventing the land frcnn washing and improving it otherwise, 
this grass more than pays for the little additional expense of cul- 
ture. But a poor manager or indolent planter would do well to 
keep it out of his cultivated fields. 

As a permanent pasture grass, I know no other that I consid- 
er so valuable as this, after having transplanted it from near 
the mouth of lied River to my present residence thirty-five 
years ago and having studied it on hundreds of other farms, 
commons and levees for a longer period. Under the head of 
Blue grass I give in a table the comparative quantities of nutri- 
tive matter of the two grasses, the analysis showing the Bermu- 



And Other Forage Plants. 43 

(la to contain more than the Blue grass. Here i.^ iu more de- 
tail, Mr. Collier's proximate analysis of (Vuodon daetylon : 





From Georgia, 


From Alabama. 


Oil, 


1.8«) 


1.23 


Wax, 


.36 


.36 


Sugars, 


6.56 


8.17 


Gum and dextrin, 


9.29 


3.59 


Cellulose, 


24.55 


23.57 


Amylaceous cellulose, 


27.43 


29.30 


Alkali extracts, 


12.64 


12.23 


Albuminoids, 


11.15 


13.59 


Ash, 


6.16 


7.96 



100.00 100.00 

Analysis op asfi. 



Potassium, 
Potassium oxide, 
Sodium, 
Sodium oxide. 
Calcium oxide, 
Magnesium oxide. 
Sulphuric acid, 
Phosphoric acid, 
Silicic acid, 
Chlorine, 



1 Georgia. 


From Alabama. 


6 My 


9.61 


22.99 


22.89 




.42 




13.44 


7.99 


5.00 


2.96 


9.37 


11.31 


(>.20 


5.09 


30.29 


30.27 


6.05 


9.46 



100.00 100.00 



As hay this grass has heeu cured and held iu high esteem by 
many farmers in Mississippi for more than forty years. The 
late Mr. Thomas Affleck of Texas, but for many years a well 
known planter of Mississippi, with characteristic Scotch thrift 
])rom]>tly recognized the value of this grass, largely profited by 
it, and, as long as he lived, by mouth and pen inculcated its 
great worth for pasture and hay, himself nuiking five tons per 
acre of the latter. Dr, Ravenel by the aid of nitrate of soda ob- 
tained at the rate of ten tons per acre on a lot near Charleston, 
S. C. Many other examples could be given as to the quantity 
of hay cut from this grass and innumerable testimonials as to 
its nutritive value. Having grown this grass only on worn 
hill lands without fertilizers my crops have of course not been 
so heavy as those mentioned ; but thev have been entirely satis- 



44 Farmer's Book of Grasses 

factory. On g-ood soil it covers the gromul densely several in- 
ches deep with its prostrate stems and dense leafage which is 
always moist even in dry weather. 

It does not bear dense shade, and when grown in shade is, 
like other plants, much less nutritions. It grows best where 
most exposed to the intensest heat of the snn. It bears drought 
better perhaps than any other of our grasses. But its under- 
ground roots or stems being near the surface and hogs being 
very fond of them in dry weather, at such times, if these ani- 
mals are confined to small lots of this grass, they eat every root 
and thus exterminate the grass. I have seen this occur more 
than once to my own serious detriment. 

As a fertilizer it is one of the best. Being always moist and, 
where the growlh is vigorous, studded with dew drops under- 
neath throughout the dryest, hottest days ; air enmeshed in large 
(juantity, as in the packings for ice, in its densely tangled and 
packed masses seems to keep the carpeted earth cool and moist 
in hot w^eather and warm in cold weather. Hence the continu- 
ous, ceaseless absorption, condensation and storage of plant food 
from the atmosphere in the roots, and subjacent soil. Nor is 
this all; perhaps not its most important influence in fertilizing 
tiie soil. At any rate a more remote or secondary effect, though 
so far as I am aware w^holly ignored, is of no little importance 
in arriving at its value as a fertilizer. It is well known that 
earth worms have the power under certain conditions of impro- 
ving and elevating the soil, and even making soil where there 
is none, by elaborating materials from the subsoil and atmos- 
phere and depositing on the surface the manufactured fertilizer. 
t have often looked with wonder and admiration at the yast 
amount of this kind of beneficent work performed by thCvSe little 
creatures in a single night. 

A piece of ground well coated with this grass is the paradise 
of these worms — rather the cheerful laboratory of these indus- 
trious little manufacturers of fertilizers. Many may be surpri- 
sed to learn that here on any pleasant night and often day, the 
sounds emanating from the industrial works of these pigmies 
may be distinctly heard. With all their might, little individal- 
ly it is true, but in the combination of vast numbers mighty, they 
are constructing soil for the intelligent farmer. 

Nor is this all; their bodies are made up very largely of al- 
buminoids, — the best plant food, — and these as the successive 
generations die are added to the soil. I will not stop to men- 
tion other benefits bestowed on the soil by other kinds of labor 
of this industrial hive. But I must not omit another good 
growing out of the presence of these worms. 

Such a Bermuda grass meadow^ as that described is in summer 
a paradise for pigs too, — not merely for the grass, the value of 
which all recognize, and which the pigs enjoy, but the benefit 



h'AK'iMJOJt's Book of Grasses 45 

and enjoyment are doubled by the animal food so much craved 
by hogs and furnished by these worms in ample supply. The 
pigs literally revel among the tender grass and tender luscious 
worms as the human animal delights in his green peas, mutton 
and fat oysters in March and April. 

Treating this grass from an agricultural stand point I need 
only mention its utility in binding together and holding levees 
of sand and loose soil against floods of water, its preventij>g lands 
from ^vashing and its filling gullies, in all which its value is 
inestimable. 

Mr. Howard in his manual gives the views of Col. Lane, who 
states that thirty years before, he had purchased an old planta- 
tion cheap because infested in places with this grass. He ])er- 
mJtted a man to occupy thirty acres of it five or six years. The 
man had a cow and calf, sow and pigs, and a brood marc. He 
cultivated a little corn never making enough to feed his fami- 
ly. For the increase of live stock in this short time grown on 
this grass almost wholly, Col. L. offered him |1,000. To show 
the value of this grass as a fertilizer. Col. L., after the man left, 
cultivated this thirty acres of land. "The first crop, cotton, 
half stand, owing to the mass of undecomjxjsed sod, eigiiteen 
hundred pounds of seed cotton per acre. Second crop, cotton, 
two thousand eight hundred pounds seed cotton per acre. Third 
crop, corn, sixty-five bushels per acre — corn manured with cot- 
ton seed. Fourth crop, wheat, forty-two bushels per acre. The 
average product of this land without the sod, would have been 
not more than one hundred jiounds of seed cotton, fifteen to tv»^en- 
ty bushels oi corn, and eight to ten of wheat. I know of no 
crop that will improve land more, and certainly none that will, 
at the same time, give so large an income with so little labor." 

Mr. Howard gives ecpially strong testimony from others. 
And I liave seen commons set with this grass, on which hun- 
dreds of cattle, horses, hogs, sheep and goats were running con- 
stantly the year round, mowed year after year and the hay sold 
for two to four times as much as any cultivated crops produced at 
five times the cost in the vicinity on similar land could be sold 
for. 

But this grass has its disadvantages too and sometimes no doubt 
kills pigs and possibly other young animals. If not ficquently 
grazed or mowed during summer, the stems l)ecome hard, wiry, 
and full of indigestii)le woody fibre in the fall.. This sometimes 
becomes impacted in the boAvels of young animals and thus 
kills them. To make good pasture it must be kept well trod- 
den and grazed to keep it tender, digestible and nutritious 
and to suppress othe-r objectionable grasses and weeds ; other- 
wise broom grass, briers and other weeds will in a few years de- 
stroy it. • 



4() Kakmek's Book of (Brasses 

1\) make good hay and the largest yield, this grass must be 
mowed from three to*^ five times every summer. Thus briers, 
broom grass and other weeds arc also repressed and prevented 
from seeding, multiplying and ruining the meadow. Properly 
managed this grass grows from ten to fifteen inches high. 

It may be known from other grasses similar in appearance; 
when in bloom by the stem bearing at the top from three to five 
digitate spikes ; and at all times by having two leaves to each 
joint, frequently three and sometimes four ; while no other grass 
of like; appearance has more than one leaf to the joint. The 
sheaths of the alternating leaves are so close-fitting and project 
one beyond another in such a way that unless these are stripped 
off one would think there was a joint to each leaf 

Propaqation. This grass having but one fertile flower to each 
spikelet and one flower in a hundred, a thousand, or million 
perhaps maturing seed in this country, trying to save the min- 
ute seed from it would be as bootless as seeking "a grain of 
wheat in a bushel of chaff," or "a needle in the hay stack." I 
am convinced and have long insisted that it matures some seed ; 
and there are many facts tending to'^establish this opinion. But 
these seed arc so few, however, that practically they are agri- 
culturally as if they were not. Hence we have no means with- 
in our own country of propagating it except by cuttings of the 
underground stems and th.e su))erHcial runners. 

These may be prepared by taking up the sod of any conve- 
nient size with a thickness of about two inches of soil adhering. 
Turn the pieces grass side down and with a sharp spade cut 
rapidly through the sod two ways so as to make pieces one or 
tv^^o inches square. Set the pieces right side up in the intersect- 
ions of small shallow furrows made two feet apart each way 
with a coulter or narrow opener, on the previously prepared 
land. The soil may be adjusted to the pieces by means of the 
hoe or by a very light furrow from a narrow shovel. With a 
few light plowin^s the land will soon be fully occupied by the 
grass. Some pre-ler washing all the soil from the sods and then 
passing them through a cutting box. The pieces are then scat- 
tered over the prepared land and plowed in. In either plan af- 
ter planting, passing a roller over the ground will benefit. 

Destroy hi.g. 1st.,, Keep stock from it and leave it alone. 
Broom grass, briers, and weeds in a few years will destroy it. 
This plan is not good farming. 2nd., It roots two inches deep. 
When expecting a drought in summer, turn up the soil from a 
depth of two inches ; best turned edgewise and not upside down ; 
after a few days' drying run a toothed rotary harrow over sev- 
eral times in every direction. Thus most rjf the soil will be 



A.Ni) Othjui J^\)UA(ij'] Plants. 47 

shaken froiu the roots ; these will be in little piles and may be 
easily forked into larger ones and burned or hauled away, to set 
other lands or otherwise disposed of. This also is bad practice 
unless the o])eration is performed late, say in August or Septem- 
ber and the ground immediately sown with small grain, as 
wheat, oats or barley ; or done early, say June, and tlie ground 
sown with peas broadcast before harrowing, as thus the peas 
would be covered by the same process Avhich clears the land of 
the grass roots. Tiien in October the peas should be followed 
by small grain — barley preferably if to be harvested, as the 
other grains would probably grow too tall. In the spring the 
barley would be harvested in time to be followed by cotton, 
corn or potatoes, either of which would afford an abundant har- 
vest. 

3. A third plan is to turn the sod with two inches of earth up 
edgewise in the winter. A few freezes will kill most of the 
roots and at dry times these may be collected by the rotary har- 
row. Or without tlie harrowing the ground may be bedded in 
the spring for cotton. The grass will give little trouble and two 
years' neat culture in cotton will clear the land of Bermuda 
grass. From this it may be seen how my friends who keep this 
grass on their cultivated lands manage it (not allowing too clean 
culture) and make better crops than those who keep it off their 
lands. 

4. Unless plenty of stock is kept on this grass from April till 
autumnal frosts, as intimated on another page, where Lespcdeza 
striata grows well, it will exterminate the Bernuida grass. 



Eleusine. 



E. INDICA, Yard Grass. 

This is called also crop grass, crab grass, wire grass, dog's-tooth 
grass and crow-foot grass. All these names applied in different 
localities to the same plant and in other localities to twenty other 
plants show the impossibility of identifying plants by their pop- 
ular names. The flexibility, toughness and strength of the 
culms well entitle it to the name of wire grass. The clumps 
have many long leaves and stems rising one or two feet high and 
many long, strong, deeply penetrating fibrous roots. It grows 
readily in door yards, barn yards and rich cultivated grounds, 
and produces an immense quantity of seeds. It is a very nutri- 
tious grass and good for grazing, soiling and hay. The succu- 
lent lower part of the stems covered with the sheaths of the 
leaves renders it difficult to cure well, for which several days 
are required. It may be cut two or three times and yields a 
large cfuantity of hay. 



48 



Farmer's Bocjk of Gi;as,sk« 



Mr. Collier's analyses of samples froiii throe States follows : 

Texas, Georgia. Alabama. 

Oil, 
Wax, 

Sugars, 

Gum and dextrin, 

Cellulose, 

Amiylaceous cellulose, 

Alkali extract, 

Albuminoids, 

Ash, 



1.78 


1.72 


2.27 


.38 


.35 


.29 


11.92 


13.29 


8.69 


6.33 


5.84 


4.98 


31. 2U 


22.38 


21.53 


25.46 


26.37 


21.97 


.00 


10.44 


20.97 


13.72 


13.28 


12.23 


9.12 


6.32 


7.(yr 



100.00 



100.00 



100.00 



Analysis of ash. 



Potassium, 
Potassium oxide, 
Sodium, 
Sodium oxide, 
Calcium oxide. 
Magnesium oxide, 
Sulphuric acid. 
Phosphoric acid. 
Silicic acid. 
Chlorine, 



Texaij. 


Georgia. 


9.52 


7.39 


10.27 


24.79 


1.26 






10.27 


13.65 


4.10 


7.38 


4.24 


5.79 


2.69 


9.68 


47.56 


24.61 


10.09 


6.71 



Alabama. 

4.55 

30.98 
3.55 



11.10 

5.57 
8.55 
9.84 
16.25 
9.61 



100.00 100.00 100.00 

A few planters encourage the growth of this grass on lots 
SDecially assigned to it and mow regularly one, two or more 
tons per acre per annum. 

Dactyloctenuim. 
D. egyptiacum. Crow-foot Grass. This grass very much 
resembles the Eieusine in general appearance and character, 
though not quite so nutritious and nice. The culms ascend 
from a creeping base, bearing, at the top, usually four spikes 
awn-pointed, and one or two inches long, the spikelets three- 
howered. The upper glume is awn-pointed and palets pointed. 
The flattened culm of Eieusine bears from two to many spikes 
two to live inches long, the lower ones scattered, spikelets six- 
flowered, glumes and palets pointless. Mr ."^Collier's analysis is 
subjoined 



Oil, 


1.64 


Amylaceous cellulo.se. 


31.63 


Wax, 


.32 


Alkali extract, 


16.46 


Sugars, 


10.96 


Albuminoid.s, 


9.01 


Gum and dextrin, 


5.60 


Ash, 


6.90 


Cellulose. 


17.48 







1 OO.O'.J 



And Other Forage 1*lants. 
Analysis of ash. 



Potassium, 
Potassium oxide, 
Sodium, 
Sodium oxide, 
Calcium oxide, 
Maf^nesium oxide. 



7.50 
21.20 



20.67 
6.91 



Sulphuric acid. 
Phosphoric acid. 
Silicic acid. 
Chlorine, 



4.42 

8.37 
24.17 

6.76 

100.00 



Lp:rTociiEOA. 



L. MUCRONATA, Feather Grass. 

This grass is an annual, having long, broad, rough leaves 
v.ith hairy sheaths, and culms two to three or more feet high, 
the lattcj- terminating in i>anicles one or two feet long, with 
many slender elongated branches, bearing the small spikclets — 
altogether presenting a peculiarly light feathery appearance of 
great beauty. It grows on cultivated lands and especially 
Avhere Eleusine grows well. Its growth is very rapid, although 
it has little root and it is easily uprooted. 

After its attractiveness to the eye and roughness to the touch, 
the next most striking property of this grass is its liglitness even 
in its greenest state. Although it contains a good percentage 
of nutritious matters, it is of little agricultural value. Its as- 
snrgent leaves and stems and immensely large panicles occupy 
' o much space that a comparatively small number of plants 
would occupy an acre of land, while it has so little weight that 
the product of several acres of the finest growth of it would be 
required to produce a single ton of hay. Stock eat it with rel- 
ish when unmixed ; but in grazing horses reject it among other 
'.rrasses. Here follows Mr. Collier's 

Analysis of liEPTOCHLOA mucronata : 



Oil. 


1.68 


Amvlaceous cellulose, 


23.69 


Wax, 


.40 


Alkali extract, 


11.55 


Sugars, 


7.33 


Albuminoids, 


7.80 


Gum and dextrin, 


6.41 


Ash, 


8.98 


Cellulose. 


32.16 







100.00 



Analysis of ash. 



Potassium, 


1.81 


Sulphuric acid. 


3.31 


Potassium oxide, 


20.21 


Phosphoric acid. 


6.46 


Sodium, 


.80 


Silicic acid. 


55.92 


Sodium oxide, 
Calcium oxide, 




Chlorine, 


2.89 


5.94 






Magnesium oxide 


2.66 




100.00 



BUCHLOA. 

B. DAC'TYLOIDES. BufFiilo Grass. 

Mr. S. B. Buckley ofAu&tlu, Texas, makes tlio following 
slateiuents about this gr:iss : 

^'Tliis is one of tiie best grasses of Texas for pasturage, if not 
the very best ; being perennial, it affords food lor stock both 
summer and wiriter. Even in midwinter it presents a green 
covering over many hills and prairies in this vicinity. It is al- 
so the best grass for lawns indigenous to Texas. It is not con- 
fined to the State, but extends over the western plains to the 
liocky Mountains, as far north as Missouri, and perhaps ft.rther. 
It thrives on every variety of soil, growing on poor, gravelly 
uplands, and also in rich river bottoms, i:)ut it mostly abounds 
on the prairies among the mcsquit trees, scattered over their 
surface tliroughout a large portion .of our State, whence it is 
commonly called mcsquit grass in Texas. This name, however, 
is given to two or three other species of grass which are often as- 
sociated with it. On the v.-estern plains it is known by the 
name of buffalo grass, hence its botanic name {Buchloa.) 

"It seldom grows more than six or eight inches in height, in 
flowering stems, but its leaves are long. It also grows by sto- 
lons or runners, by which means it extends rapidly and soon 
covers the surface. 'Unlike most grasses it is dioecious, that is, 
it has male and female flowers on different stems ; the female 
flowers and seed are near the root, and seldom seen or noticed 
unless seai'ch is made for them. On this account its true nature 
was long unknown to botanists, its male flowers only having 
been collected. I have been told by many people in Texas that 
it does not bear seed. When in flower it can easily be known 
from every other species of mesquit by its upright staminate or 
sterile flowering stems, with one or two short, horizontally ex- 
tending branches, one or two inches long, densely crowded with 
yellowish brown florets. 

''The Bucliloa is not difficult to eradicate, nor is it ever 
troublesome in cultivated fields, because it has so few seeds. No 
one need fear introducing it on his phmtation, either for lawns 
or pasturage. All kinds of stock are extremely fond of it, from 
vvdiich we infer that it is very sweet and nutritious. To the peo- 
ple of Texas it is certainly one of the most valuable grasses for 
pasturage, yielding as it does an abundance of food both winter 
and summer, nor do the droughts of summer hurt its vitality. 
In extreme droughts often all the grasses seem dead, but a rain 
will make this mesquit grass green and growing in a few hours. 
Even when dry, weather-beaten and seemingly dead, it is still 
good food for stock." 

Mr. H. W. Ravenei writes of this grass as follows : "This 
remarkable grass is found 'in the western j^rairies, from the Brit- 



And Otheii Fouaue Plants. 51 

ish i\).s.sos.sions tlii'oughout to Missouri Territory, Nebraska, 
Kansas and New Mexico, down to Texas and North Mexico/ 
and well knov\'n to herdsmen and hunters under the name of 
Buffalo grass. I saw it in 1869 in Texas, growing abundantly 
a few miles from Corpus Christi, and in the prairies near In- 
dianola; and it was there called '3IesHt gmss.' It was represent- 
ed as oneof tlioir best pasture grasses for their herds of cattle, 
nutritious and alwa}'s preferred by animals to any other. 

^'The grass has the peculiarity (possessed by very fi-w otlier 
grasses) of bearing its male and female flow^ers on separate plants, 
(and called in botany dicBcious.) 

'•The male plants are the largest, growing from six to twelve 
inches higli, and being most conspicuous, are those most frc- 
((uently seen and noticed. They grow in den.se tufts, and from 
these send out their shoots. 

"The true Illeskd grass is Bordelov/i hdrsuia, growing also in 
the YVcstern Prairies." 

The buffalo grass certaiiily should be more Avidcly cudtivated 
on our southern waste lands, la v/ns, and pastures. It is often 
confouiidcd with 

Ijoijteloua, Mcsquit Grass. 



Throe species of this grass grow in the v\^est, and are known 
by various names, as gramma, {not gama from which it is total- 
ly diifbront) mesquit, i-dth the many ways of spelling, etc. The 
bristly mcsquit grows abundantly in Texas in tufts from 8 to 20 
inches high. It isa valual)lc grass and has been experimented 
with in nrany parts of the south with gratifying results. Pcr- 
haj)s the other two species have also been tried under the general 
name of ipesqiiit. But this name has been applied to a number 
of other gtasses and caused no little confusion. Many specimens 
of so called mesquit grass have been sent to me from Texas and 
from several other states, (the seeds having been first obtained 
from Texas) and in every instance it has proved to be JTofcit-s- 
fdvntus, velvet, or soft meadow grass. And it is this velvet 
<;rass, naturalized in Texas, that is generally cultivated in tlie 
.southern States under the name mesquit. 

Eatonia. 

L E. PENN8YLVANICA. Eaton's Grass. 

The Eatonias are slender, erect, tufted, ])ercnnial grasses with 
narrow leaves, and small, smooth, shining spikelets of pale flov/- 
ers in a panicle. In this species the panicle is slender, loose ; the 
two- or tlirce-fiowcrd spikelets ; scattered on the slender bran- 
ches; stems one or two feet high, flo-wcring in April and found 



r)2 K.-MiMKU's J>()(>K OF Ul^ASSKS 

in 'oorclers of woods. Cattle seem to relisli it better than othei- 
sjrasses growing in forests. 

2. E.' OETUSATA. This diifers from the preceding in liaving 
a dense, spike-like panicle, v/ith two-flowered spikelets much 
crowded on the siiort, erect branches. These grasses are of lit- 
tle agricultural value. In Darby's Botany of the southern 
States, they are mentioned under the names Aira mollis and A. 
obtiisafn respectively, thus classing them with the A 



iKHi 



Met.tca. 

M. MUTiCA, Melic Grass. 

This perennial grass with stems on.e or two feet high blooms 
in April, growing in dry, open woods. Its three- to iive-tlow- 
cred spikelets, few, nodding and arranged in a loose, simple 
panicle. Though eaten by stock, it is of little value. The 3L 
dlffuHa and IT. Mnhkuhcnikm are similar and scarcely worth 
mentioning. 

Glycerta. 

1. G. NERVATA, Meadow spear Grass. This is called nerved 
manna grass also. In the eastern States, some farmers call it 
fowl meadow grass. But it must be distinguished from Foa ser- 
otinn, every where else known as true fowl meadow 
grass and described on another page. It has a creeping, peren- 
nial root; erect stems, tvv'o or three feet high; diffuse panicle, 
the capillary branches at length drooping; the rachis separating 
into joints; spikelets rounded, purplish, five- or six-flowered, 
small ; leaves in two row^s like a fan. It grows naturally in wet 
swamps ; but will succeed on good upland soil also. 

Although a native, nutritious grass, it has received little at- 
tention in this country. Sinclair in the Woburn experiments, 
however, made some remarkable statements in regard to it and 
held it in high esteem. He stated that in February, 1814, af- 
ter the severe preceding winter, this grass was green and succu- 
lent, while out of nearly three hundred species that grew around 
it not one remained healthy, but all were injured and rendered 
inferior by the severe weather. 

He found also that the quantity and nutritive quality of this 
grass was the same or equal whether cut at the time of flower- 
ing or when the seed were ripe, wdiich was not the ease with 
any other grass tested at that time. The aftermath w^as also re- 
markably valuable ; for after the seed mature, it sends up large 
fan-like shoots which are succulent and even more nutritious 
than the leaves. It is certainly w^orth trying on our marshy or 
moist lands. It blooms in June and July. 
• 2. G. PALETPA. Pale Manna Grass, grows in shallow water, 



A.\i) OriiKU 1m)[;a«k Pi.axts. ;j.3 

witii ])('n'nninl roots: (Uilius on^eping at t]\v !)ii.s(,', one to three 
leet lonti' , paniele erect, narrow, nearly simple ; spikelets round- 
ed, five- to nine-fl'nvered, half inch lono-, pale, h\aves short, 
sharj) })oirrtcd, j)ah' green. It is of little agricultural value from 
the fact that although nutritious, it cannot be niova'il or culti- 
\ated conveniently, growing as it does in water. 

'']. (I. FL[JITANS, Common Manna Grass, or Floatin/ ■ Manna 
(Jrass, growing in shallow water, produces culms from one to 
five feet long with panicle one foot long in June or -T.ii y, from 
the perennial, creeping roots; leaves long, broadly i'nunii-. It 
differs from the other species markedly in its s]:];;.( r lont- jian- 
i(;le and few long linear spikelets. It gro\,'S i;! cultivation on 
permanently moist lands, and its yield compares favorably with 
many other good grasses. It is cultivated in France and nitiiiy 
other portions of Europe. The seeds whole or ground into 
meal or Hour are nourishing and used in soups and broths 
This grass is eaten watli avidity by horses, cattle, sheep and 
swine, and the seeds by birds. 

4. G. RIGIDA, another species indigenous also to the southern 
States and growing on dry soils, seems to possess little value 
and attract no attention. 

Several other species of manna grass are native in our eastern 
and northern States; but none (»f tli< in native or (Uiltivated in 
the south, except the 

0. G. CANADENSIS, Rattlesnake grass sometimes found in 
gardens. It has a long, pyramidal, spreading panicle, with 
handsome, drooping spikelets ; has the general appearance of 
quaking grass; and is used for I)ou(juets and vases. It is of little 
agricultural value. 

POA. 

1. P. PRATENSis, Kentucky Blue Grass. 

This is called also smooth meado^'^ grass, spear grass, and 
given grass, all three very appropriate, characteristic names. 
Blue is a misnomer for this grass. It is not blue, but 'green as 
grass' and tlic greenest of grasses. The P. compressa, flat-stalk- 
ed niead(/v,- grass, wire grass, blue grass is blue, the 'true blue' 
grass from w'hich the genus received its trivial name. 

Kentucky l)lue grass, known also in the eastern States as June 
grass, although esteemed in some parts of America as the best 
of all pasture grasses, seems not to be considerered very valua- 
ble among English farmers exce]>t in mixtures. It is certainly 
a very desirable pasture grass howev r. Its very narrow leaves, 
one, two or more feet long, are in such profusion and cover the 
ground to sucli depth with their luxuriant growth that a mere 
description could give no one an adequate idea of its beauty, 
quantity and value; that is on rich laud. On poor, sandy land 
it degenerates sadly as do other things uneongenially located. 



54 l<\-\ i;i\ij;i;'!s JiooK of Gkassks 

' Percunial and bearing cold and drought well, it furnishes 
grazing a large part of the year. It is specially valuable as a 
winter and spring grass for the south. To secure the best win- 
ter results, it should be allowed a good growth in early fall, so 
that the ends of the leaves being killed by frost afford an ample 
covering tor the under parts whicli continue to grow all winter 
and afford a good ])ite whenever reqnii-ed by sheep, cattle, hogs 
and horses. In prolonged summer drought it dries completely, 
so that if fired, it would burn off clean. But this occurs in Ken- 
tucky, where indeed it has seemed without fire to disappear ut- 
terly; yet when rain came, the bright green spears promptly re- 
carpeted the earth. 

With its underground stems and many roots it sustains the 
heat and drought of the southern States as well as those of Ken- 
tucky ; where indeed it is subjected to^severer trials of this kind 
than in the more southern States. In fact it bears the vicissi- 
tudes of our climate about as well as Bermuda grass and is near- 
ly as nutritious. 

Mr. Collier's proximate 

Analysis of poa pratensis : 



Oil, 


1.82 


Amylaceous eel 1 u lose, 


22.53 


Wax, 


1.04 


Alkali extract. 


17.20 


Sugars, 


9.61 


Albuminoids, 


. 11.54 


Gum and dextrin, 


3.14 


Ash, 


5.18 


Celinlose, 


27.94 







100.00 



Analysis of ash. 



4.76 


9.89 


30.25 


6.30 



Potassium, 6.96 Sulphuric acid, 

Potassium oxide, 33.81 IMiosphoric acid, 

Sodium, Silicic acid. 

Sodium oxide, Ciiloriue, 

Calcium oxide, 4.81 

Magnesium oxide, . 3.23 100.00 

Blue grass grows well on hill tops, slopes, or bottom lands if 
not too wet and too poor. It may be sown any time from Sep- 
tember till April, preferably perjiaps in the latter half of Febru- 
ary or early in March. The best catch I ever had was sown the 
20th. of March, on unbroken land, from which trash, leaves etc. 
had just been burned. The surface of the land should be clean- 
ed of trash of all kinds, smooth, even; and if recently plowed 
and harrowed, it should be rolled also. This last proceeding is 
for compacting the surface in order to prevent the seed from 
sinking too deep in the ground. Without harrowing or brush- 
ing in, many of them get in too deep to come up, even when the 
surface of the land has had the roller over it. The first rain af- 
ter seeding will put them in deep enough, as the seeds are very 



An J) Other Forage Plants. ;■>;■> 

uiinute and the spears of grass small as fine needles and there- 
fore unable to get out from under heavy cover. These spears 
;ire so small as to l)e invisible except to close examination and 
in higher latitudes this condition continues through the first year. 
Thus some who have sown the blue grass seed, seeing the first 
year no grass imagine they have been cheated, plant some other 
crop and probably lose what close inspection would have shown 
to be a good catch. This, however, is not apt to occur in the 
southern tier of States as the growth here is more rapid. The 
sowing mentioned above, made on the 20th. of March, came up 
]^rom]itIy and in thrc* montlis the grass Avas from six to ten in- 
ches liigli. One year here gives a finer growth and show than 
i wo in Kentucky or any other State so far north. 

Sown alone 20 to 26 pounds, that is two bushels, should be 
used ; in mixtures, four to six pounds. 

2. P. ANNUA, Annual Meadov/ Grass. 

In many parts of the southern States this grass has become 
naturalized. It is a tender plant, with linear leaves three to 
six inches long and stems six to ten inches high, blooming in 
February and Manfh, and through the summer if moist. It is 
a beautiful grass, but so small that the yield is not large. But 
it is exceedingly relished by all kinds of cattle and is supposed 
to have a specially good effect in improving the quality of but- 
ter. It does not resist the effects of drought as well as other 
species of this genus. It is so very like blue grass (P. prafense) 
as to be easily mistaken for it. In some places it is called 
goose grass. 

3. P. CEISTATA, six to ten inches high, and 

4. P. FLEXUOSA, Southern spear grass, Vvath slender stems 
twelve to eighteen inches high, are southern species growing in 
dry wooded lands. They have not been tested to ascertain their 
agricultural value. They bloom respectively in April and May. 

5. P. CO.MPRESSA. This is the Blue or Wire grass of the 
north. It has priority of chtim to tlie name blue grass and 
justly too as the leaves have a deep bluish green tint. It differs 
from the Kentuckey blue grass in the deeper tint of the foliage 
and flattened stems. The stems are decumbent at the base, the 
middle portion ascending and the upper erect, with panicle 
dense, contracted at first, but later expanding. It grows one 
or two feet long and is very hardy, and thrives on poor, hard, 
trijdden soils, sandy knolls and rocky places. It is very nutri- 
tious and greatly relished by all kinds of cattle. Cows fed on 
it produce very rich milk and finely-flavored butter. Its thick 
rich turf renders it specially agreeable to sheep and deer and it 
imparts a delicate flavor to their flesh. 

Its stems retain the deep bluish green color after maturing 
the seeds. Shrinking less than most other grasses in drying, it 
makes a very heavy hay in proportion to bulk. Both in Eng- 



F)C) Farmer's Book ov Ghasses 

land aiu! our mn'thcrn States it is veiy liighly csteeined as a 
pasture grass. It is found uaturaliz<'d or native in nearly 
;dl the southern States. 

In cultivated lands it is diflieult to eradicate ; and how to de- 
strov it has caused more discussion at the north., than how t(. 
eradi(?ate coco and Bermuda grasses at tlie south. 

B. P. TEiviALis, Rough-stalked Meadow Grass. 

This also much resembles the Kentucky blue grass. But it 
H'.av be readilv distinguished by noting that it has rough sheaths, 
with long, pointed ligules, the marginal ribs of the five-ribbed 
outer palet not hairy, and the roots fibrous, in blue grass, the 
sheaths are smooth, ligules obtuse, marginal ribs of outer pali't 
hairv, and roots (n-ee]>ing. The stems ai'etvvo ov three feet higli. 

According to Way's analysis, it contains, albuminoids, 9. SO; 
fairy matters, 3.H7 ; hent producing principles, 40.17; v»<iody 
tibre, 38.0o ; ash, 8.33, in 10() parts of the dry grass. 

This is a nutritious grass, grratly relished by cattle, horses and 
sheep. Although perennial and yielding a large quantity of 
good hay, it is lial)le to be killed, in the south, l\v cutting un- 
less succeeded by cloudy wet weatlier. In England and on the 
(rontinent this is a favorite grass, l,)eing very small on poor soils; 
but on rich, moist loams tall, yielding a large quantity of hcil)- 
age. In a meadow peculiarly well adapted to it near Salisbury 
Plain it is saitl to have been found <^ight feet long. 

It is specially adapted to wood pastures, as it delights in shade, 
banks of streams and moist grounds generally. It bcai's tramp- 
ing and is an excellent pasture grass. It makes a good mixture 
with red to[)and orchard grass, or red top and tall oat grass, and 
with other pasture grasses. Eight to ten pounds seed may l)e 
sown to the acre; a bushel weighing fifteen pounds. 

1^. np:moralis. Wood Meadow Grass, as the nanje implies, 
prefers wooded lands; and it luxuriates in moist shaded grounds 
or watery swamps. It has a perennial, creeping root; erect, 
slender, smooth stem, one and a half to two feet high, with long, 
finely arched panicle ; and blooms in May and June. It is of 
raidv growth, succulent, nutritious, and cattle are fond of it. It 
may be planted in Septendjer, October and February, four 
pounds seed per acre. 

8. P. BREVIFOLIA, Short-lcavcd Spear Grass, with stc>m 
leaves short, radical leaves nearly as long as the stems, is found 
in rocky, hilly woodlands. 

1). P. ALSODES, Wood Spear Grass, with narrow, acute leaves, 
the upper (Hies often sheathing the lower part of the panicle, 
the slender branches of which are generally in threes or fours, 
is found in hilly woods flowering in April or May. 

10. P. DEBiLis, \¥eak Meadow Grass, is perennial, gro wing- 
in rocky woodlands, flowering in April and May, with panicle 
small, loose, few flowered, and branches slender, flexuous, in 
pairs o rtriplets. 



And Other Forage Plants. 57 

11. P. sYLVESTRis, Sylvan Meadow or Spear Grass, has a 
%t, erect stem and short pyramidal panicle with numerous 
branches in fives or more. It is a light, tender grass and found 
in rocky woods. 

All these last named grasses grow so scattering as to be of 
little value, 

A few other species of Poa are found in our northern States, 
of no value there and not worth introducing any where, except 
the following one : 

1 2. P. SEROTiNA, Fowl Meadow Grass. 

This grass belongs to the same genus that the Kentucky 
blue grass does. Being taller, (culms 2 to 3 feet) it is spec- 
ially adapted to moist or even wet lands. It makes a large 
quantity of excellent hay ; but it has not been sufficiently culti- 
vated in in the southern States, so far as I am aware, to know 
how long a meadow set with it may remain profitable. It is 
however, worthy of extended trial ; and that its comparative 
nutritive value may be knov;n, Mr. Collier's analysis is annexed : 

AnATA'«IS of poa SEROTINA. 



Oil, 


1.95 


Amylaceous cellulose. 


25.24 


^¥ax, 


1.53 


Alkali extract. 


15.19 


Sugars, 


9.33 


Albuminoids, 


8.91 


GuiU' and dextrin. 


7.49 


Ash. 


7.47 


Cellulose. 


25.62 







100.00 



Analysis of ash. 



Potassium, 


2..79 


Sulphuric acid. 


3.35 


Potassium oxide, 


31.71 


Phosphoric acid. 


10.80 


Sodium, 


.83 


Silicic acid, 


37.10 


Sodium oxide. 
Calcium oxide, 




Chlorine, 


3 80 


6.70 


tJt^JXj 




Magnesium oxide, 


2.92 




100.00 



In portions of the western States this grass has for some 
years been very highly recommended. In the eastern States it 
has been cultivated for 150 years or longer and valued highly. 
Jared Eliot in 1749, spoke of it as growing tall and thick, ma- 
king a more soft and jjliable hay than timothy and better 
adapted for pressing and shipping for use of horses on ship- 
board. He says it makes a thick, abundant growth on land 
more moist than is adapted to common upland grasses and may 
be mowed any time from July to October, as it never becomes 
so coarse and hard but the stalk is sweet and tender and eaten 
without waste. It is a nutritious grass and easily made into 
valuable hay. It is superior to other grasses in its property of 
remainino- tender and ffood for so lono- a time after first bloom- 



58 



FARiMi^u's Book of Grasses 



ing. As it constantly sends np flowering stems from the joints, 
the lattermath contains more nntrition than the first crop at 
the time of blooming. Tlie morel see and know of its growth 
in the southern States the more am I ])leased with it„ 

Tricuspts. 

T. SEST.EROiDES, Tall rcd-top Grass. 

This is a perennial grass with long rigid leaves and culms, 
from three to five feet high, crowned with large diffuse panicles. 
The scatterered, pedieeled, purple spikeiets give the grass a fine 
appearance. It grows on dry, sterile soils. Although not very 
nutritious nor desirable in cultivation, yet where it grows nat- 
urally and one has nothing better, it may be worth cutting and 
curing for feeding cattle in conjunction with concentrated food 
in Avinter. Its comparative value will be seen from IMr. Col- 
lier's sul)joined analysis : 

AnAEVSTS of TRK'USPTS sesleroides. 



Oil, 


1.81 


Amylaceous cellulose, 


26.45 


Wax, 


.24 


Alkali extract, 


12.63 


Sugars, 


6.98 


Albuminoids, 


6.32 


Gum and dextrin, 


3.16 


Ash, 


4.55 


Cellulose. 


37.86 







100.00 



Analysis of ash. 



Potassium, 
Potassium oxide. 
Sodium, 
Sodium oxide. 
Calcium oxide, 
Magnesium oxide, 



8.13 
^8.49 



2.32 
.53 



Sulphuric acid, 
Phosphoric acid, 
Silicic acid, 
Chlorine, 



4.04 

1 .58 

37.52 

• 7.39 

100.00 



Eragrostis. 



E. reptans, Creeping Meadow Grass, is a beatiful annual, 
with long creeping roots, stems six to eighteen inches high, pan- 
icles one or two inches long, spikeiets ten- to tiiirty-ilowered, 
leaves nearly awl-shaped one or two inches long, flowers in Ju- 
ly, whole plant pale green, and found in low^ sandy places, 
gravelly banks of streams, fence corners and open pastures. It 
is relished by cattle, but not of much value in agriculture. 

2. E. PO^oiDES, Strong-scented Meadow Grass, is handsome 
also. The variety E. megastachia, Pungent Meadow Grass is 
very pretty, but emits a disagreeable odor. The stems are pros- 
trate, geniculate at the base, ascending ; panicles contracted ob- 



AiN'i) Ot!ip:r FuiiAGE Plants. 59 

long, or later pyramidal spreading ; spikelets oblong or later 
linear, three to five lines long, ten to thirty flowered, often lead 
colored; leaves linear; sheaths smooth ; flowers in July and Au- 
gust ; found in waste or cultivated lands. Stock do not relish it. 

3. E. PiLOSA, Slender Meadow Grass, is a pretty annual, six 
to twelve inches high, with loose pyramidal panicle ; spikelets 
five- to twelve-flowered, of purplish lead color. It is found in 
sandy gravelly barrens and old fields, aifording some accepta- 
ble, nutritious food for cattle. 

4. E. PURSHii, Southern Spear Grass, has stems six to twelve 
inches long, slender, geniculate near the base, ascending; pani- 
cle three to six inches long, loose, widely spreading, the lower 
i)ranches whorled ; spikelets five- to ten-flowered, pale or pur- 
j)le ; l)Iooms from June to September. It is found in cultivated 
grounds and waste lands, and is of little value for stock. 

5. E. coNFEPtTA, with stems two or three feet high and pan- 
icles one or two feet long, whitish, found on river banks, bloom- 
ing in xlugust and September. 

6. E. TENUIS, Branching Spear Grass, with ])anicle one to 
two and a half feet long and spreading branches; leaves one to 
two feet long ; flowering from August till frost and found on 
riv^er banks and rich sandy soils. 

7. E. CAPiLLARis, Hair-panicled Meadow Grass, with loose, 
delicate, widely expanding })anicle, one or two feet long ; spike- 
lets very small, mostly purple, on long diverging capillary ped- 
icels ; flov/ering in August and September ; and found in sandy, 
dry, waste places. 

8. E. PECTiNACEA, Mcadow Comb Grass, with panicle 
one to one foot and a half long, widely diffuse, or the branches 
finally reflexed ; spikelets purple, flat ; flowering in August and 
September ; and growing on dry, sterile soils ; the dry panicles 
wafted about by the winds ; and 

9. E. XITIDA, Shining Eragrostis, growing along the coast 
with ])anicles one and a half to three feet long ; blooming in Au- 
gust and September ; the leaves and sheaths shining ; — are all 
of little agricultural value. Some of the species of this genus 
are beautiful in bouquets and vases ; and for those uses they 
have been cultivated in lawns and gardens. That etymology 
may be correct which derives Eragrostis from Eros (of vvdiom 
the unfortunate Er of Genesis may be the original,) and there- 
fi)re calls it Love Grass. 

Though it may be named from era, earth, from some of the 
species having stems partly prostrate on the earth. 

Dactyeis. 

D. glomerata. Orchard Grass, Kough Cock's-foot. 
Leaves broadly linear, very long, rough, bluish green ; pani- 
cle with few scattered branches below, more dense at top ; spike- 



()0 1*' A liJM )■:(;'« J:U)()K OF Gkashes 

lets iiboiit tiiree- or fonr-ilo\vorccl, in densely crowded^ oiie-.sided 
clusters; both glumes and lower palet awn-pointed; stamens 
three ; seed oblong, acute, free ; roots perennial, fibrous, long, 
penetrating tiie soil deeply ; stem three feet high and on good 
soil often five feet; flowering in the southern States from the 
last of April till July first, according to latitude, character of 
season and treatment. 

Of all grasses, this is one of the most widely diffused, grow- 
ing in Africa, Asia, every country of Europe and all our States. 
It" is more highly esteemed and commended than any other 
orass, by a larger number of farmers in most countries — a most 
deciided proof of its great value and wonderful adaptations to 
many soils, climates and treatments. Yet, strange to say, though 
growing in England for many centuries, it was not appreciated 
in that country till carried there from Virginia in 17(54. But, 
as in the case of timothy, soon after its introduction from Amer- 
ica it came into high favor among farmers and still retains its 
hold on their estim.ationas a grazing and hay crop. 

Nor is this strange when its many advantages and points of 
excellence are considered. It will grow well on any soil con- 
taining sufficient clay and not holding too much water. If the 
land be too tenaceous, drainage will remedy the soil ; if worn 
out, a top dressing of stable manure will give it a good send off 
and it will furnish several good mowings the first year. It 
o-rows well between 29° and 4S° latitude. It maybe mowed 
from two to four times a year according to latitude, season and 
treatment; yielding frojn one to three tons of excellent hay per 
acre on poor to medium land. In grazing and as hay most an- 
imals select it in preference among mixtures with other grasses. 
In lower latitudes it furnishes good winter grazing, as well as 
for spring, summer|aud fall. After grazing or mo^ying, few 
grasses grow so rapidly, (three or six inches per week), and are 
so soon ready again for tooth or blade. It is easily cured and 
handled. It is readily seeded and catches with certainty. Its 
long, deeply penetrating, fibrous roots enable it to sustain it- 
self and grow vigorously during dr(nights, that dry up other 
o-rasses, except tall oat grass, which has similar roots and char- 
acters. It grows well in open lands and in forests of large trees, 
the under brush being all cleared off, I have had it grow lux- 
uriantly even in beech woods where the roots are superficial, in 
the crotches of roots and close to the trunks of trees. The hay 
is of high quality, and the young grass contains a larger per cent 
of nutritive digestible matter than any other grass. It thrives 
well without renewal on the same ground for thirty-five, nay 
forty years ; how much longer I am not able to say. It is easi- 
ly exterminated when the land is desired for other crops. Is 
there any other grass for which so much can be said .~ 



And Othf.u Forage Plants. 61 

I know 'out one <ibjectio;i to it. Liko tall oat grass, it is dis- 
:;o.sod to grow in clumps and leave much of the ground uncov- 
<i'ed. This may be obviated by thick seeding, using t^o and a 
half or bciter three bushels of seed per aero. It will not do to 
seed thinly with the hope that seeds grown on the plants will 
i'dl, germinate and fill the gaps. They will not germinate when 
so falling, although when properly sov.'n on prepared soil, it is 
one of th(! most certain grasses to make a good catch. 

The gaps may be prevented by sowing with it a few pounds of 
red top seed. But as the latter multiplies annually from seeds 
. dropping, it would in a few years root out the orchai'd grass. In 
common wdth others, I prefer red clover with orchard grass. It 
fills the ga])s and matures at the same time with orchard grass ; 
the mixture makes good pasture and good hay. But if mowed 
more than twice a year, or grazed too soon after the second 
mowing the clover will rapidly fail. One peck of red clover 
seed and six pecks of orchard grass seed is a good proportion per 
acre. 

Vvliether it is more profitable to mow orchard grass but twice 
year and thus have earlier, better and more prolonged winter, 
pasture; or to mow three or four times and have later, inferior 
and for a shorter time, winter pasture, is a question affected by 
so many contingencies and pemnutations that the satisfactory 
discussion would be so complex and. occupy so many pages that 
it is deemed proper not to entertain it licre ; but leave it for 
each reader to decide from his own stand-point in view of his 
own purposes, objects and surroundings. I decidedly prefer 
for my own purposes. and with my own t^xperience but two mow- 
ings a year of the mixed clover and orchard grass and not more 
than three of orchard grass alone and this only if the season be 
very favorable. It should not be grazed soon after mowing if 
good, early winter pasture be expected. 

"This valuable grass is indigenous to the soil of America, and 
from its adaptability to various soils, its early and late growth, 
luxuriant foliage and nutritive qualities, is well entitled to an 
equality with any grass either native or foreign." — [Senderson.) 
I therefore give several analyses. Taken green from the field 
and in bloom, 100 parts gave : 

Schevan and Ritthausen. 

65.00 

3.00 

.80 

12.60 

16.10 

2.40 

100.00 99.90 



According 


to— 


Way. 


Water, 






70.00 


Albuminoids, 






4.06 


Fatty matter. 






.94 


Carbohydrates, 






13.30 


Woodv fibre. 






10.11 


Ash, " 






1.59 



62 l^AliMi^U'b iiuUK OF GKA-S-SKiS 

100 pnits of the dried grass gave according to analysis of 

Way. Wolff &1\ nop. 

Albuminoids, l3.o3 11.60 

Fattv mattei-, 3.14 , 2.70 

Carbohvdi-ates, 44.82 40.70 

Woodv'fihro, .33.70 2<S.90 

Ash, " 0.31 4.60 



100.00 88.50 

These apparent disere})ancies are what must be expected of 
anv otlier grass grown undc^r different conditions and cut at dif- 
ferent stages of maturity. Mr. Sinclair's Woburn experiments 
well illustrate this. Grown on rich sandy soil, he cut of this 
grass immature, 10,209 ])ounds per acre containing 1,190 pounds 
nutritive matter. Cut in flower, an acre gave 27,905 po<inds 
green, or 11,859 pounds dry hay containing 1,089 pounds nu- 
tritive matter. Cut in seed it weighed per acre 26,544 pounds 
fresh, or 13,272 dry, containing 1,451 pounds nutritive niattei-. 
Cut in this last mature stage, it is much more difficult to masti- 
cate and digest, and a less proportion of the nutritive matter is 
assimilated. It should, therefore, be cut at an earlier stage to 
secure the healthiest relish and most nutriment for green soiling 
or hay. 

Altogether and from every stand point, 1 am compelled to 
say still as I did many years ago that I prefer orchard to any 
other grass. Nor am I alone in thi;^ preterence. I could fill 
Nolumes with testimonials more strongly expi^essed than my own 
in favor of this grass over all others, by the most distinguished 
live stock growers of Europe and America. 

After being cut, it has been found to grow four inches in less 
than three days. Sheep leave all other grasses, if they can find 
this ; and acre for acre it will sustain twice as many sheep or 
other stocdv as timothy or other esteemed pasture grasses. Cut 
at the proper stage it makes a much better hay than timothy 
and is greatly preferred by animals^ being easier to masticate, 
digest and assimilate; in fact more like green grass in flavor, 
tenderness and solubility. It grows on any soil not too wet oi- 
too salty ; on hill and vale, mountain and plain. 

It produces seeds freely and they germinate with certainty. 
A bushel of cleaned seeds weighs from twelve to fifteen pounds. 
It may be be improved by selecteng seeds from choice plants. 
Probably all the cereals, certainly all that I have tried, may be 
greatly imiu-oved l)y careful selection and judicious culture. 

Festuca. Fescue Grasses. 

Native and introduced, eight species of this genus are found 
growing in the southern States. These range from two inches 



AiSD (JriiEK FoKAGK PLANTS. 63 

to foil)' feet high. Two or three of the species are worth little 
or nothing'; but others are among the most valuable grasses we 
have. 

1. F. PKATENSis, known generally as meadow fescue, locally 
in Virginia as Randall grass, is a perennial, with round smooth 
stems two to three ieet high, in mountain lands in Virginia six 
feet high, panicle nearly erect, branched, slightly inclined to 
one side. The radical leaves are broader than those of the stem; 
but in other species this is .reversed. The numerous fibrous 
roots pierce a good soil to a depth of 12 or 15 inches. It is there- 
fore better fortified against drought than most grasses, and it is 
in vigorous growth when other grasses are dried up. It is one 
of our best Avinter grasses and is much prized as far north as 
Virginia, where it furnishes cattle good grazing in mid-winter, 
as they can push their muzzles under the snow to crop it. They 
are very fond of the long tender leaves, which are enjoyed by 
horses and sheep also. 

It grows Well in nearly all situations, wet or dry, on hill or 
bottom land, even though subject to overflow, and matures an 
extraordinary quantity of seed. The seeds germinate readily, 
and it is easy to set a piece of land with this grass. Seeded alone, 
'2H pounds (about two bushels seed should be sown broadcast in 
.lugust, Septend)er, October or from the middle of February to 
first of April. From i-emaining green through winter it is 
sometimes called evergreen grass. Mowed and dried it makes a 
good hay much relished by stock. It may therefore be used 
for pasture, green soiling or hay as desired. 

Sinclair found more nutritive matter in the fescue grass when 
in bloom than when in seed. In this fact there is great advan- 
tage in favor of these grasses; for being cut when in bloom they 
are more easily and completely digested than when cut later, 
and hence a larger jn'oduction of the contained nutritive matters 
can be assimilated by the animal eating them. 

2. F. ELATiOR, Tall Fescue grass. Some consider this iden- 
tical with the meadow fescue; but it is about twice as large, has 
similar perennial roots, stems 3 to 4 or 5 feet high, paniele a lit- 
tle drooping or erect, with short branches spreading in all direc- 
tions. According to the Woburn experiments it furnished a 
much larger quantity of nutritive material than any of the other 
fescues and a larger quantity than a number of other forage 
plants , timothy making the nearest approach to it, and blue 
grass rating extremely low in the scale. The gross weight of 
grass was so great, the loss in drying so much less than in others 
and the nutritive matter so extraordinary in quantity that the 
reader will be interested in a comparative table which I have 
constructed from Sinclair's report of the Woburn experiments, 
which he conducted for ten years. 



(i4 



l''f«;tiic;i elatior, 
i''estuca d uriu«c nbi , 
Festuoa pratensis, 
Festuca ioliacea, 
Ho lens lanatus, 
Holcns odoratus, 
r>act.ylis4 ijlomei-Mta, 
Tril'oiium pratense, 
Phleum pratense, 
Poa pratense, 



H'auimek 


,S 1 )» X ►] 


C OK 


iHAS.SK^ 




When cut. 


wciglit 


Weight 


JSTuti-itiw 






groen. 


dry. 


matt'T. 




In ilov/er, 


r,l,04(i 


17,Mi6 


3.91-S 


Tall fescue grass. 




i,s,;i7() 


8,269 


l,0i!4 


Hard fescue grass. 


ti 


i;j,i)l-: 


0,4C5 


957 


Meadow fese\ie srasp. 


" 


iti,;«5 


7,140 


7(j."> 


«piked I'oscue grass. 


" 


l»,0:-,7 


G,(J81 


1,191 


Meadow soft grass. 


In seed, 


27,225 


!i,52s 


2,2:« 


Sweet M. soft grass. 




2ti,n4-l 


18,272 


l,4r.l 


Orchard grass. 




4i),0!'o 


12,2 1 


1,914 


Red Ciover. 


<i 


411,^37 


19,397 


8,609 


Timothy. 


In flower, 


!H,2iJ9 


2,^71 


279 


Kentucky blue gr.u.ss. 



Sinclair's experiments show: 1 st. that meadow fescue between 
the times of blooming and maturing seed, loses f of its nutritive 
value ; or tiiat it has three times as much nutritive materials 
when in bloom as wlien the seed are ripe : 2nd. that the produce 
of tall fe.scue was to that of meadow fescue as 3 to 1 • and 3rd. 
that the percentage of nutritive matter in the former to that iji 
the latter was as 8 to 6 ; and finally that the nutritive value of 
an acre of tall fescue was lour times greater than that of an acre 
of meadow fescue, more than twice that of red clover, and e- 
qualled by that of lucerne alone. In preparing the above table 
1 have taken each plant at that stage in which it contains the 
largest quantity of nntrition. The fescue grasses cut in bloom 
are more digestible and their nutritive value enhanced no little 
as compared with the other plants named in the table cut at a 
stage when less digestible. 

Of all the nutritive matter contained in fescue grass, 20 per 
cent forms flesh and 9 per cent bone nerve etc., just the thing for 
the rapid development of young animals. Weight for weight, 
however, red clover furnishes much more of flesh and bone form- 
ing materials than the grasses. The table v^•!li enable the read- 
er to make other useful comparisons and deductions. 

Although tall fescue is coarser than meadow fescue, stocic 
seem to like it as vfell, and it is equally good for pasture, green 
soiling or hay. It may be planted at the same times and .in the 
same quantity as the meadow fescue. While the latter matures 
very large crops of seed, and is hence called fertile fescue, the 
former in some localities mjttures so few that it has-been called 
iflfertile fescue. It may be multiplied by parting and setting 
out the roots. It grows well wherever meadow fescue does, 
and on wetter lands and in shade also. Both are useful in stop- 
ping washes. 

3. F. DURiuscuLA, Hard Fescue, 
Way's analysis : 

In 100 ]iarts taken from the field, 
Water, 

Albuminous or flesh forming principles. 
Fatty matters. 
Heat producing ]>rinciples, starch, sugar, 

gum etc.j 
Woody fibre, 
Mineral matter or ash. 



contains accordinp- to 



a:reen. 

69.33 
3.70 
1.02 


dried 


12.10 
3.34 


12.46 

11.83 

1.66 


40.43 

38.71 

5.42 



100.00 



100.00 



And Other Foi:A(ij: Plants. Ho 

This gi'iiss, though luuch smaller than the two preceding, is 
also perennial, green through winter, withstands summer 
droughts, thrives ou various soils, grows a foot or two high, 
and is a good pasture grass. 

4. F. RT'BRA, Red Fescue, one of the largest of the genus, 
is probably only a variety of the precediug; and though grow- 
ing naturally on sandy and dry soils is said to be a better grass 
than some of the other species. 

o. F. oviNA, Sheep's Fescue is also regarded by some as a 
smaller variety of the Hard, and grows from 6 to 12 inches high 
with many very uarrow radical leaves and tufts of perennial 
roots. This also is a good jiasture grass specially for sheej>, 
and on dry sandy lands. 

<). F. TENELT.A, Small Fescue gnnvs on dry, sandy soil from 
■- to ]'l inches high and is of little value. 

7. F. >[VURU.s, grows on the same soil as the preceding (i to 
1 '2 inches high and is about equally valuable. 

8. F. T;()LiAr'F:A, Spiked Fescue, Darnel F'escue, like tall fes- 
cue, to which it is closely allied, matures few seeds. In appear- 
ance it resembles rye grass, to which, Loudon says, "it is con- 
sidered superior either for hay or permanent pasture, and it im- 
proves in proportion to its age, which is the reverse of what 
takes place with the rye grass." On rich, moist meadow it is a 
good pasture grass. 

9. F. NUTANS, Nodding Fescue grows two to four feet high 
in rich as well as rocky woods and banks, with a one-sided pan- 
icle nodding when ripe. This and some others of this genus are 
well suited for woods pastures, where they could be mixed with 
Kentucky blue grass, tall oat grass, Terrell grass etc. In some 
localities in the southern States, meadow fescue is now begin- 
ning very im])roperlv to be called English blue grass. 

Bromus. 

1. B. rN[(ji,oiDEs, Rescue grass. 

This grass is called also, B. schraderi, B. willdenowii, 

CERATOOHLOA UNKH/JIDES, and FESTUCA UNIOLOIDES. It is 

an annual winter grass. It varies in the time of starting growth. 
I have seen it ready for mowing the first of October and furnish 
frequent cuttings till April. Again ; it may not start betore 
January, nor be ready to cut till February. This depends up- 
on the moisture and depression of temperature of the fall, the 
seeds gei-minating only at a low temperature. When once start- 
ed, its growth after the successive cuttings or grazings is very 
rapid. It is tender, very sweet and stock eat it greedily. It 
makes also a good hay. It produces ou immense quantity of 
leaves. On loose soil some of it may be pulled up by animals 
grazino' it. 



{)(■) i< AKMKii's iiuUK OP' (jKAS^KS 

The «iuantity of sugar and oil it contains, as shown by the fol- 
lowing analysis of Mr. Collier, specially commends it for win- 
ter feeding. 

Amylaceous cellulose, '23.74 
Alkali extract, 13.13 

Albuminoids, 12.45 

Ash, 7.7<S 



Oil, 


2.99 


Wax, 


.24 


Sugars, 


14.3G 


Gum and dextrin, 


1.00 


Cellulose, 


24.31 



100.00 



Analysis of ash. 



Potassium, 


16.3H 


Sulphuric aqid, 


5.()1 


Potassium oxide, 


37.20 


IMiosphoric 


acid. 


.S.79 


Sodium, 


1.27 


Silicic acid. 


f 


1..S4 


Sodium oxide, 




Chlorine, 




1G.84 




Calcium oxide, 


4.43 










Magnesium oxide. 


4.64 






100.00 


The laree (juantit 


;y of Potassi 


um and its 


oxide and 


chlorine 



in the ash is very remarkable. 

A writer in the Rural Carolinian, (vol. 1. p. 604.), says Mr. 
Iverson introduced this grass into Georgia many years ago, ad- 
ding: "I sowed it on a peach orchard, contiguous to my bai-n- 
yard, a pretty rich clay soil and kept in good heart by the drop- 
pings of animals. Here for many years, it has furnished fine 
grazing in winter, for hogs, horses, calves etc. In the spring 
the stock has been taken off^ and the grass allowed to drop its 
seed. Occasionally I have plowed it up, and I believe the bet- 
ter plan would be to plow it up every spring after the seeds 
drop, and sow down in peas. It might be made to answer a 
valuable purpose." 

In the Department of Agriculture, Report for 1878, p. 170, 
Mr. Williams of Texas writes: "Inasmuch as western Texas is 
the great stock producing section of the South-west, and consid- 
ering the fact that pasturage is scanty, particularly in Februa- 
ry, stunting the growth of young cattle, this seems wonderfully 
adapted to supply just Avhat is greatly wanted, both for milch 
cows, calves, colts, and ewes just dropping lambs ; and besides, 
this trrass grows well on the thinnest soil and crowds out weeds, 
maturing in March and early April, while not interfering with 
the native mesquite. I therefore regard this grass as a wonder- 
ful and most important discovery." 

For the reasons named by Mr. Williams this grass is valua- 
ble in portions of Louisana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. 
It is specially valuable for fall colts and their dams. 

I have seen it bloom as early as November when the season 
has favored and no grazing or cutting permitted. Oftener it 
makes little start till January. But whether late or early start- 
ing, it may be grazed or mowed frequently, until April. It 



Am) Other Forage Plants. 67 

will still mature seed. It has become naturalized in limited 
portions of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and perhaps 
other States. It is a very pretty grass in all its stages ; but es- 
pecially when the culms two or three feet high are gracefully 
bending with the Aveight of the diifuse panicle with its many 
pedicelled, flattened spikelets, each an inch or more long and 
with twelve to sixteen flowers. 

I would not, however, adA'ise sowing this grass on poor land 
with the expectation of getting a remunerative return. It til- 
lers abundantly under favorable conditions. 

2. B. CARiJS'ATUS, California Brome Grass, according to Mr. 
Collier's analyses annexed, is much less nutritious than the pre- 
ceding species : oil, 2,46 ; Avax, .24 ; sugars, 9.38 ; gum and dex- 
trin,' 4. oO ; cellulose, 26.90; amylaceous cellulose, 17.02 ; alkali 
extract, 19.15 ; albuminoids, 9.<SJs ; ash, KL.'U, in 100 parts. Lit- 
tle is yet known of it. 

3. B. SKCALiM's, Cheat or Chess. This well known pest in 
grain fields had some thirty years ago an infamous notoriety 
under the name of Willard's grass. With lip and pen the vir- 
tues of this grass were so adroitly inculcated that the bold Cheat 
succeeded in selling at fabulous prices his maddening cheas, at 
the same time exacting a pledge from purchasers that it should 
not be allowed to go to seed ; thus hoping to escape exposure of 
the fraud, and to reap alone the rewards of his ingenuity. Though 
not desirable on a ftirm, it has considerable value as a winter 
grass. 

4. B. KACKMosus, Upright Chess, or Smooth Brome Grass, 
and 5. B. mollis, Soft Chess or Soft Brome, also are found in 
grain fields. The seeds of these three species have been a source 
of great annoyance to farmers, by getting among the wheat 
and l)eing ground to the serious damage of the flour. In our 
lower latitudes, sown alone on good soils, they make a large 
quantity of very inferior forage. If covered some depth in the 
ground, the seeds remain sound for years, and, when brought 
near the surface by the plow, promptly germinate and mature 
another crop. The growth of these species therefore should not 
l)e encouraged on our lands. 

6. B. oiLiATUS, Fringed Brome Grass and the variety pur- 
yaiiH are found in old fields and along rich river banks and 
wooded hills, with stems from two to four feet high. It is one 
of the least valuable. 

7. B. KAL.Afii, Wild Chess, indigenous to some of our States, 
and growing two or three feet high, in dry \voods, may offer 
some promise to intelligent experiment. Other species common 
in Europe are not known here. 



QS FaUMEH'^^ J>Ut)K oK (TKAhSEii 



Hmola. 

1. V. LATiFor.iA, Wild Fe«('ue (Irass, Broad-lfiivcd Spikt-d 
(xrass. This beautiful grass is found on the banks of streams. 
The culms, two or three feet high, bear loose drooping j)anicles, 
with large, broad, flat compressed spikelets often to fifteen 
.flowers. It blooms from May till August. It is perennial and 
in some localities is sufficiently abundant to be cut for hay. I 
have seen it cultivated in but one place ; with what residt I am 
not informed. As it was sown on poor hills, it certainly could 
not yield much hay. And on lands where it might be profita- 
ble to cultivate it, many other grasses would be more pi-olitabh'. 
A local name for it in Mississippi is, 1 believe, 'wild oats.' Mr. 
Collier's 

Analysis of iiniot.a [.atikoija. 

i)\\^ j ., ,^.y Amylaceous cellulose, 10. 2^ 

Wax, ^ o.-o Alkali extract, 14.40 

Sugars, 6.78 Albuminoids, 11.29 

Gum and dextrin, 4.02 A.sh, 11.38 

Cellulose, ;58.(j7 

A>'ALYsrs OF ash. 



lOO.OO 



Potassium, 


0.19 


Sulphuric acid. 


2.62 


Potassium oxide, 


5.52 


Chlorine, 


4.71 


Magnesium oxide. 


3.02 


Silica, 


66.87 


Calcium oxide, 


7.15 








Phosphoric acid, 


4.92 




100.00 



A clump of this native grass set in the flower garden would 
be much more attractive than hundreds of other plants iinj)orted 
and sold at high prices. 

2. U. PANicuLATA, Spike (irass, growing from two to eight 
feet high among the sands along the coast, has, like the prece- 
diiig, long-pedicel led, drooping s]>ikelets. It is a pretty but 
worthless plant for forage, 

:">. U. graciIjIS, Slender Spike Grass, found in rich, damj) 
soils, with slender stems two to four feet long, flowering in -lulv 
and August ; and 

4. U. NiTiDA, Shining Spike Grass, found in swamps, with 
slender stems one or two feet high, have stemless or nearly ses- 
sile spikelets and are of little feeding value apparently, 

Phragmites. 

P. COMMUNIS, Common Reed Grass. 

This is one of the largest grasses in the United States, grow- 
ing from five to twelve feet high with numerous leaves one or 



And Other Forage Plants. 69 

two iuohes wide. The steniis (lying down in the liill, tlie peren- 
nial roots send uj) in the spring a large growth of stems and 
leaves. These while tender, the cattle eat, but quit as the 
plants beeome harder ; leaving them to perfect their large ter- 
minal panicles and load them with the large seeds for feeding 
the winter swarms of geese, ducks and other birds. 

This grass is found in swamps, along marshy streams and bor- 
ders of ponds. It is found in both hemispheres. In Great 
Britain it is used for thatch, and is preferred to sla,te ; being 
warmer in winter and cooler in summer. It might be used for 
the same purpose in this country ; but owing to diiference of 
climatic inHuences, it would not probably last here as in Eng- 
land tor eighty years. 

Arundtxatiia. 

1. A. (JKiANTEA, or MACROSPERMA. I^argc Cane. 

This largest of our grasses has a hard, woody stem from one 
half to three inches in diameter, and ten to forty feet high, erect 
rounded, tapering from near the base, jointed every eight to 
twelve inches for one half the length or more, then joints be- 
coming shorter and smaller to the top ; leaves one to two inches 
wide, ])ersistent, on elustered spreading branches, which also arc 
jointed and appear the second year. On rich land, in the spring, 
the yoimg stems shoot u}) full size, ten or twenty feet high and 
ai-e crisp as asparagus ; and by some persons as much relished. 
The stems would probably make nice pickles also and various 
kinds of preserves by adding suitable flavors to the syrup. 

Hogs, cattle and other animals are fond of the young plants 
and seeds. Turkies and other birds and many other animals fat- 
ten on the seeds where abnndaiit. The age at which this large 
cane blooms has not been definitely decided. It probably va- 
ries with the latitude, soil and surroundings, from ten to thirty 
years. When the seeds mature the cane dies. Grazing animals 
feed greedily on the leaves in winter, and find protection from 
the driving rains and piercing ^^nnds uiAler the dense roof of the 
cane-brake or thicket. The stems are used for fishing rods, 
scaffolds for drying cotton, with the joints punched out for blow- 
guns and water pipes, pieces for pipe-stems and pipes, and splits 
for baskets, mats and other purposes. 

2. A. TECTA, Small Cane. Some hold that this is the switch 
cane and that it is a seedling of the preceding. Its habits are 
different, however, from those of the large cane. It Idooms 
sometimes two or more consecutive years without dying down 
to the root. Live stock like it as well as the large cane. Botli 
grow best on rich lands, hills or bottoms ; but they will grow 
on thin clay soil, improve it and, if protected from stock rapid- 
Iv extend bv sendino- out lone roots with Imds. 



7(.) FAKiMER's Book oi' (^ijas.sks 

Triticum. 

T. vuLGARi], Wheat. 

This is little used for grazing, or hay. The straw, however, 
is used for foddering stock and contains 2 per cent albuminoids, 
30.2 carbohydrates and 1.5 fat. The chaff contains of albumin- 
oids 4.5, carbohydrates 33.2, fat 1.4. Wheat straw, therefore, 
contains considerable nourishment ; but less than oat straw. All 
know the value of wheat bran, shorts etc., as stock feed. For a 
number of years I sowed wheat for winter pasture with mode- 
rately remunerative i-esults. For that purpose, I found oats, 
rye and barley better. Bread grains as such do not come in the 
plan of this work, and I therefore add in this connection only 
that the wheats used for human foods are annuals. Many per- 
sons believe thai pigs are killed by grazing on wheat. 

2. T. EEPENS, Couch, Quitch, Twitch, Chandler, Dog Grass 
and many other names. This is perennial with stem two or 
two and a half feet high, so much like wheat as to be called al- 
so wheat grass. Cattle eat it heartily when green ; and cut ear- 
ly it makes a good hay. But it fills the ground with roots, is 
as difficult to cultivate amongst and exterminate as coco or nut 
grass ; and hogs are as fond of, and root up the ground as indus- 
triously to obtain the roots. Cows and horses also are fond of 
them. It should be destroyed as soon as found in cultivated 
grounds, but it is very valuable in permanent pastures. 

3. T. CANINUM, Bearded Wheat Grass, of our northern States 
is comparatively harmless and not likely to trouble southern 
farmers. And 

4. T. COMPOSITUM, Egyptian Wheat, is only a cultivated 
garden curiosity. 

Secale. 

5. CEREALE, Rye. Of the four prominent species of rye, 
this is the only one cultivated in this country. It occupies a 
place intermediate between barley and wheat ; and it is not al- 
ways readily distinguished by the inexperienced from them, es- 
pecially from wheat. But the barley spikelet has but one per- 
fect flower, that of rye two, and that of w^heat three or more : 
and there are other differences. Rye has a long, slender stem, 
bearing a terminal, erect long-bearded spike from two to four 
inches long. 

Two varieties of rye have been produced by cultivation, win- 
ter and spring rye. The former may be be planted in fall or 
spring, indeed in almost any month of the year. It may be 
planted in late corn and plowed in laying by the corn ; or it may 
be sown iu cotton and plowed in the last working, thus cheaply 



AxDOriiKfi Forage ri.A.NTS. 71 

preparing winter and spring pasture ; or the ground may be 
prepared as for wheat, or oats, the rye planted from August to 
Der-ember, But as it is sown in the south ahiiost exclusively 
for winter pasture, the earlier it can be put in the better, provi- 
ded it is not so early as to joint before it can be pastured. A 
bushel and a half per acre should give a good catch : if planted 
early and the ground in good cfnidition a bushel may do. 

It grows well on any good, well drained soil, but requires less 
clay and moisture than wheat or barley, and more sand and pot- 
ash. My objections to it as a grazing plant are stated in treat- 
ing of barley. 

Rye yields a light crop of grain but it is very nutritious. 
The straw is hard and almost worthless for fodder. But it 
is worth ten or fifteen dollars a ton to the manufacturers of hats, 
bonnets, paper, mats and many other articles. To be very val- 
uable, however, for most manufactures, a special machine, in- 
vented for the purpose, must be used in threshing it so as to 
keep the straw straight and unbroken. 

In Europe, rye and wheat are often sown together, producing 
the mixture called ineslin, from which the most wholesome of all 
oreads is made. Rye may be grown longer on the same land 
than most other crops. 

\Mien seeding, if the season be wet, it is very liable to a fun- 
goid disease, producing what is called ergot, the grain assu- 
ming somewhat the shape of a cock's spur and hence called spur- 
red rye. These spurs are filled with a dark mass having the 
odor of spoiled fish. It is very dangerous to people and ani- 
mals eating it, causing gangrene and death. Yet it contains 
several valuable medicinal principles ; by the use of which, 
separated from the poisonous elements, many valuable lives are 
daily saved. 

HORDEUM. 

1. H. PEATENSE, Wild Barley, Squirrel-tail Grass. 

Only a fcM- years ago, I noticed an occasional specimen of this 
plant in several parts of Mississippi. Next year many acres were 
densely covered with it. It appears in the latter part of winter 
and spring, growdng from six to ten inches high, sometimes 
eighteen, with few leaves. Cured for hay it contains according 
to Knop : water 14.3, albuminoids 9.6, carbohydrates 42.0 and 
fat 2.0; a fair quantity of nutritive matter. But the plant is so 
small and light as to be unworthy of attention as a cultivated 
crop. Stock relish it. 

2. H. PUSILLUM, Barley Grass also is small, growing six to 
twelve inches high. Cattle relish this grass and it is nutritious ; 
but the product is too small to justify cultivation. 

3. H. JUBATUM, another Squirrel-tail Grass, widely diffused 
throug-h our northern States in marshes and moist sands near 



72 Fak.mkk's Book ok Grasses 

seas and lakes, and in moist prairies, has not yet found its way 
to the more southern States. These three i>'rassesall look mueh 
like the cultivated barley. 

4. H. VULGARE, Common I)arley, is one of the first .ti:rains 
used for human food, beina; mentioned in the oldest records ex- 
tant. It adapts itself withi wonderful facility to' all climates, 
maturing' ecjually in the heat of the torrid, and cold of the friti'- 
id zones? It is to be treated here only as a forage plant, and 
two varieties only need be mentioned. The common six-rowed 
varietv is largelv planted in this country, both in the latter 
jKirl of summer, early fall and spring. Originally a spring bar- 
lev, it became inured to winter. The rows are not perfectly 
regular, the alternate rows being less prominent. This, howev- 
er, is not what is called the true winter l)arley, square barley, or 
Hordenm hexadichmn. The common barley produces more 
grain, but the grains are not quite so large as those of the Two- 
rowed barley, Hordevm disfiehim. The difference in the yield 
of the two, however, is not very great, and both may ho sown 
in our more southern States either in fall or spring. 

There is no four-row-ed barley as sometimes stated and as 
mio-ht be supposed by not examining carefully. The ear or 
head of barley is what "is called a spike. At each joint of the 
spike are three spikelets, each with a fertile flower, in the com- 
mon barley. As these triple s])ikelets alternate, when the seeds 
mature, the head becomes rounded and there appear six, more 
or less pefect, rows of grain. In the two-rowed kind, only one 
spikelet at each joint of the rachis has a perfect flower; the 
other two spikelets being reduced to sterile rudiments. The 
spike is longer, however, and the grain having more room is a 
little larger than the six-rowed kind. 

I have planted barley almost solely for winter pasture, the 
o-rain being a secondary consideration ; and I cannot say that 
any thing has given me more satisfaction. I have tried it re- 
peatedly," in the same fields and under all the same conditions as 
nearly as possible, with all the other small grains; and it inva- 
riably gave far better results. I think that on my lands one 
acre of barley affords as much green food during the winter as 
the eombinecl product of one acre each of wheat, oats and rye. 
When grazed down, it grows again very soou, so that it may be 
orazed two or three times to once with the others. It makes 
larger and more dense foliage and is greatly preferred by ani- 
mals to the others. I think the l)arley decidedly more whole- 
some also than the others. This is not due probably to the 
chemical composition of the barley, but to its being cleaner. 
The foliage stands up and hence does not become so bespattered 
with clay, sand and other injurious matters as that of other 
small grains. With the latter much filth is eaten, especially 
witli rye. The leaf of this liek so closely on the ground, that in 



And Otheii FoiiAGE Plants. 78 

grazing it, animals receive so much sand and other dirt that 
their teeth and stomachs are damaged many times and the nu- 
tritive function seriously obstructed. 

Barley seems not to be damaged, but rather benefitted by 
winter grazing ; and with me it has never shown any sign of 
rust or other diseases, while all the other grains around it have 
been utterly destroyed by rust. Possibly ray lands may be 
specially adapted to it. 

, Preferably I plant in September ; but everything favoring, a 
few days earlier would not be objectionable. The quantity of 
seed per acre should be two and a half or three bushels. It suc- 
ceeds well on almost any well drained land that has not been 
exhausted. On good land the crop should be forty to sixty 
bushels of seed per acre. 

The proportions of nutritive iirinciples in barley straw are as 
nearly identical with those in wheat straw, as would probably 
be found in two samples of the latter taken from the same mow. 
Now 100 pounds of barley, clean grain, contains twelve ounces 
more nutritive matter than 100 of clean corn. But the nutri- 
tive matters are differently proportioned and combined in the 
two kinds of grain. The barley T think more wholesome for an- 
imals, especially growing animals. Arab horses in their native 
country are fed almost wholly on barley. Many pages might 
be quoted to show how highly it is prized in foreign countries 
as a forage plant and the most gratifying results from its use in 
that way. I think it has given as good results in this country 
whenever tried. I prefer it to corn not only for young stock, 
but for working animals, especially in warm weather. 

When harvesting barley, a portion should be left standing in 
the field for the hogs. It carries them through the hot months 
in most admirable condition. It is, indeed, a most wholesome 
food for them at all times, and the flesh of pigs fed with it has a 
peculiar tenderness, delicacy and sweetness, that induce the con- 
noisseur to pay an extra price for it. It is said that barley-fed 
meat increases also in bulk when boiled. But because barley is 
used for raising bread and beer, it must not be supposed to have 
the same effect on boiling meat. The improvement must be 
made in the live meat. 

Barley is a good food for all farm stock, including poultry ; 
l)ut specially as part feed for milk cows. 

It can be grown cheaper than corn, heavier crops are made 
per acre, the crop is less liable to p,ccidents in growth, and when 
harvested worth more for home consumption or as a money 
crop. But it requires nice care in harvesting. It should be 
cut as soon as fully ripe, tied in small bundles and dried thor- 
oughly and as soon as practicable. The long beards and abun- 
dant chaff catch and hold much water from dew and rains and 
thus the grain is very liable to be injured. It should be thresh- 



74 i' AiiiMKK's Book of Grasses 

0(1 as soon as may be, spread in airy rooms and frequently stir- 
red till fully dry. In threshing the machine should be run 
slow and the pins not so close as for wheat. This is to avoid 
breakino- off the 2:erm, (which is very easily done,) as this would 
render the grain worthless either for seed or for brewing. It is 
altogether safer for these purposes to thresh by hand. Seed 
wheat also should be threshed by hand as the machine breaks 
a large per centagc of the grains, destroying the germs. 

Elymus. 

1. F. viRGiNicus, Wild Rye, Terrell Grass, Virginia Lyme 

Grass. 

This perennial grass is a native of the southern States. As 
all farm stock except hogs are fond of it and it is green through 
the winter and spring, it has been destroyed when grazing ani- 
mals have access to it at all times. It is, however, found in 
many of our States along the banks of wooded streams, of ditch- 
es and in fence corners, among briers and thickets. . It is read- 
ily propagated by sowing the seed, (two bushels per acre,) or by 
separating and setting out the plants from November till April. 
It will grow on thin clay, gravelly, or sandy soil; but much 
better on rich lands — hills, bottoms or alluvials — dry or rather 

moist on a great variety of soils ; in open or wooded land, and 

will thrive ten, twenty or more years on the same land. It 
o-rows two to four feet high and matures seeds in July and Au- 
gust, the spikes being erect, rigid, dense, three inches long. 

2. E. STRiATUS, Dennett Grass, Slender Hairy Lyme Grass. 
This also is perennial and a native of the southern States. 

Every thing said of the preceding applies with equal force to 
this except the spikes of this are three to seven inches long and 
often slightly nodding. In the eastern States it is small and of 
little value. But in the extreme south it is larger and more 
valuable. During the last month I have found it in seed in its 
native haunts in many localities — nowhere less than three or 
four feet high. Cultivation improves both this and the prece- 
ding so that they sometimes grow five feet high. 

The spike of the Dennett grass is raised by its long peduncle 
far above the sheath of the upper leaf, while the spike of the 
Terrell grass is partly included in the upper sheath. The latter 
is the better of the two. 
They may be grazed or mown repeatedly during spring and ear- 
ly summer, and grow rapidly after each mowing. Where culti- 
vated if not mowed or grazed, they bloom and mature seed ear- 
lier, than in the wild state. Many acres have been planted in 
the last few years ; generally those who have tried a little have 
been encouraged to extend it to a few acres and some to many 
acres. 



And Othjou Ii'ujkage Plants. 75 

As hay it is rather hard unless cut while young. It should 
be cut as soon as the blooms appear or earlier. It would be 
preferable to have these grasses for grazing or green soiling, and 
to sow better grasses for hay. 

By setting the plants in the spring two feet each way on pre- 
pared land and cultivating ; in the fall, the seed that drop and 
germinate and the tillers will cover the ground with a good 
winter pasture. If it shows any sign of exhaustion manure and 
scarify, or plow solid in fall or winter and harrow. It will soon 
be in full growth. 

3. E. CANADENSIS, Canada Lyme Grass. 

This perennial is probably not found native in any of the 
southern tier of States. It is about equal in value to either of 
the two preceding. 

Siberian Lyme Grass and Soft Lyme Grass are not found in the 
southern States. 

4. E. ARENAEius, Upright Sea Lyme Grass belongs to Eu- 
rope. Sir Humphrey Davy analysing the soluble matter afford- 
ed by this gi'ass found that it contained a large proportion of 
sugar, besides other nutritious matters. But it is too hard to 
make a desirable grass for stock ; though much used mixed 
with other grasses chopped for winter feed for cattle, in Hol- 
land and other places. It was introduced into this country by 
the Patent Office many years ago and planted at a number of 
places. But its principle use in this as in other countries is the 
same as that of beach grass, to bind drifting sands and prevent 
encroachments of the waves. Its long, creeping, perennial roots 
well fit it for this purpose. 

Gymnostichum. 

G. HYSTRix. Bottle-brush grass differs little from the Lyme 
Grasses, except in the absence of glumes. It is a native, peren- 
nial, and a good forage plant. The spike, three to six inches 
long, when ripe resembles a bottle brush. The grass makes a 
stem two to four feet high and is found along the shaded banks 
of streams and moist rocky woodlands. 

LoLIUM. 

1. L. PERENNE, English, or Perennial Rye Grass. 

This is the first grass cultivated in England, over two centu- 
ries ago, and at a still more remote period in France. It was 
long more widely known and cultivated than any other grass, 
became adapted to a great variety of soils and conditions, and a 
vast number (seventy or more) varieties produced ; some of 
which were greatly improved, while others were inferior and be- 
came annuals. Introduced into the United States in the first 



7(j i* AitMiiK'a Book op UKAissJBb 

quarter of the current century, it has never become very popu- 
lar, although shown by the subjoined analyses of Way not to be 
deficient in nutritive matter. In 100 parts of the dried grass 
cut in bloom were albuminoids 11.85, tatty matters 3.17, heat 
producing principles 42.24, woody fibre 35.20, ash 7.54. The 
more recent analysis of Wolff and Knop, allowing for water, 
gives rather more nutritive matter than this. 

It grows rapidly and yields heavy crops of seed, makes good 
grazing and good hay. But as with all the Rye grasses, to 
make good hay it must be cut before passing the blossom stage, 
as after that it deteriorates rapidly. The roots being short, it 
does not bear drought well and exhausts the soil, dying out in a 
few years. In these respects it is liable to the same objections as 
timothy. The stem one to two feet high, has four to six pur- 
plish joints and as many dark green leaves. The fiexuous 
spiked panicle bearing the distant spikelets, one in each bend. 

It should be sown in August or September, at the rate of 
twenty-five or thirty pounds or one bushel seed per acre. 

2. L. Italicum, Italian Eye Grass. 

This grass grows two or three feet high and has a broader 
leaf than the preceding. The spikelets are arranged on the 
main stem as in the preceding ; but differ in the florets having 
slender awns, giving each s])ikelet the appearance of a small 
brush. The leaves are very dark green with a metalic glint ; 
and a field, well set with tJiis grass undulating under wind and 
sun, presents the most delightfully beautiful appearance I have 
ever seen in the way of grasses and green fields. 

All the grass eating animals are very fond of it green or cured. 
It is highly esteemed and cultivated in European countries and 
is becoming better known in America. Like the preceding, it 
is adapted to many latitudes, soils and conditions. Sown from 
August to October, twenty or thirty pounds of seed per acre, it 
affords good winter and spring pasture. But being an annual 
it must be reseeded every year, unless seed are allowed to ma- 
ture and fall. It may be mowed very early in the spring, some- 
times in the winter as early as December, and from five to ten 
times between April and November. 

On rich lands no other grass will probably bear so many 
mowings, nor is any other better adapted to green soiling. It 
is a ravenous feeder and thrives on the richest soils and many 
applications per year of rich fertilizers. But the enormous 
yield of delicious forage amply repays the expense of such feed- 
ing, in the sleek coats and distended sides of the happy colts, 
horses, sheep and cattle, the improved health of the animals, 
the big pails brimming with rich delicious milk and the well- 
filled tubs of beautiful, fine flavored butter. 

In the darying districts of Europe, where irrigation is em- 
ployed, the quantity of forage afforded by this grass is simply 



Axj) Other Forage Plants. 77 

Vnonnous. But to obtain the best results, it must be abundant- 
ly fertilized. This grass stands drought well and grows most 
luxuriantly in our southern States. If not kept grazed or mow- 
ed, however, the leaves cover the- ground so deeply and densely, 
tb.at an excess of rain in very hot weather in the extreme south 
causes it to rot suddenly, destroying even the roots. This I 
have never seen or heard mentioned by any otiier person. But 
it occurred on my own larm one season where I was reser\^ing 
a lot for seed. 

Way's analysis of this grass taken green from the field shows 
KM* parts to contain : water 75.61, albuminoids 2.45, fattv mat- 
ters .80, heat producing principles 14.11, woody fibre 4.82, ash 
2.21 : or about 17.;:)<! nutritive matters. This at first blush looks 
little it is true, and less when compared as is usually done w^ith 
timothy cut and analysed in the same condition, the latter 
containing 29.21 of nutritive matters and 57.21 water; or 18.40 
per cent less '«'<'ater and 11.85 more nutritive matters. In the 
dried state, Way's analyses show that the Italian Rye grass con- 
tained 71.19 per cent of nutritive matter and timothy only 68.26. 
Animals are very fond of it for grazing, green soiling, or as 
hay ; selecting it among other grasses. Tliey are usually the 
i)est judges of what is adapted to their own conditions and*- the 
needs of their systems. And tlie effects this grass produces on 
their general condition and upon the products of the dairv con- 
firm the judgement of the cows. Now it is true that cut and 
fed green Italian Rye grass (contains much more water than tim- 
othy. The cow decides that this is no disadvantage, as in con- 
sequence she has to go seldomer to and take less water from the 
pool. It is mixed intimately in the grass ready for her use. 
The grass is tenderer, more easily masticated and digested and 
the nutrition more completely assimilated, thus reducing waste 
of muscular and nerve tissue and heat producing principles. 
The total crop of timothy for the year is besides small compar- 
ed with that of the Italian rye grass to the acre; and but two 
cuttings at most of timothy may be had, while the latter may l)e 
cut many times. 

3. L. ANNUU^r, Annual Rye Grass, a(!Cording to Way's anal- 
ysis, contains in 100 parts, green : water 69.00, albuminoids 2.96, 
fatty matters .69, heat producing principles 12.89, woody fibre 
12.47, ash 1.99. Some have fancied this variety because it pro- 
duces taller stems and liiore of them than some of the othcn's. 
But the proportion of foliage is less and the hay inferior. 

4. L. AKYENSE found in the south is a worthless species with 
small stems only frojn six to twelve inches high. 

5. L. TEMULENTUM, Poison Rve Grass. This pernicious 
weed is sometimes found in grain fields growing two feet high 
with the characteristic fiexuous spikelet bearing stem about a 
toot long. It is very injurious to jKople or animals eating it 



with grain or in bread made from flour contaminated with it." 
Hence the wisdom in selecting this weed in constructing the 
parable in Matthew XIII, 25 — 36 ; it being the darnel or tares 
there mentioned and almost the only cereal possessing, when 
sound, injurious properties. It may be distinguised from other 
species by the very long glumes equalling the spikelets in 
length. 

It is the Zizania of the parable, transferred into the Latin 
Vulgate, the Italian, Spanish and some other versons ; transla- 
ted Ivraie in the French and Darnel in most English versions, 
but unfortunately 'tares' in King James' version. The tare, 
vetch, or any other bean could, as soon as sprouted, be recog- 
nized as not at all like wheat. But this plant, even in the 
spike, resembles wheat, and hence the force of the parable. It 
is probably the infelix lolmm of Virgil. 

6. L. MiJLTiPLORUM, Many flowered Darnel is very hand- 
some and showy, but not much cultivated or esteemed any 
where. 

AlRA. 

1. A. FLEXUOSA, Wood Hair Grass. 

This perennial plant grows one or two feet high on rocky 
hills and mountains and sandy soils, but not on clays. Cattle 
and sheep eat it, but it produces very little nourishment to the 
acre. It is really not worth cultivating for feed, but aflbrds a 
pretty addition to bouquets. 

2. A. c.ESPiTOSA, Tufted Hair Grass. 

Grows in clumps or tufts in tough marshy lands, preferably 
where water stands much of the time, but is occasionally found 
in pastures or meadows. It is worthless. 

The other species are not found in the southern States. 

Danthonia. 

1, D. SPICATA, Wild Oat Grass, Old Fog, White Top. 

This is a native perennial growing on dry, barren soils with 
a slender stem ten to eighteen inches high bearing a few spike- 
lets. 

2. D. SERiCEA, Taller Wild Oat Grass, also a native, grows 
on dry or moist sandy soils, with stem two feet high bearing 
many spikelets. These are grasses of little value. 

Trisetum. 

1. T. PALUSTRE, Marsh Oat Grass. 

This is found in swamps, and has a feeble stem one or two 
feet high with a long narrow panicle. 



And Other Forage Plants. 79 

2. T. MOLLE, Downy Persoon, with a stem six or eight in- 
ches long is found on rocky banks and mountains. Both these 
grasses are perennial, but have no agricultural value. 

3. T. PTTBESCENS, Downy Oat ;Grass is a valuable forage 
]ilant, but has not been introduced in the south. 

A VENA. 

1. A. PRATENSis, Meadow Oat Grass. 

This is a perennial native of Great Britain, where it grows 
about eighteen inches high in pastures. It flourishes best on 
dry soils and yields a medium quality of hay. As some of our 
recent writers have evidently confounded this with the lall 
Meadorv Oat Grass (described on another page) and have given 
it qualities that belong to the latter, it is well to give a rather 
minute description. "Spikelets three to many flowered, with 
an open, large, diffused panicle ; lower pale seven to eleven 
nerved, with a long, usually twisted awn on the back ; stamens 
three ; grain oblong, grooved on the side, usually hairy and 
free." — Flint. Any, who purchase and plant seeds of this grass 
with the expectation of obtaining the large winter grazing, soil- 
ing, hay and seed crops of which they may have read, will as- 
suredly reap a large harvest of disappointment and vexation. 
Mr. Howard, in his pamphlet, gives an excellent account of 
Ta/l Meadow Oat Grass, but unfortunately calling it Meadow 
Oat Grass, has no doubt inadvertently misled other writers into 
some singular errors. 

2. A. FLAVESCENS, Yellow Oat Grass, 

This perennial is a native of France and grows naturally ou 
light, dry soils. By some farmers in many parts of the world, 
it is regarded, as a hay and pasture grass, the most useful of this 
genus. It has been tried in this country to only a limited extent. 
Way's analysis of it shows in 100 parts of the dried grass : al- 
buminoids 7.48, fatty matters 2.61, heat producers 47.08, woody 
fibre 35.95, ash 6.88. It is much better mixed for pasture than 
for other purposes, its unusually large quantity of bitter extract- 
ive matter rendering it specially grateful to cattle. 

3. A. STRIATA, The Purple Wild Oat of our northern States 
is of little worth ; and 

4. A. PRECOX, Early Wild Oat, found in the northern tier 
of the southern States is a dwarf, three or four inches high and 
merits no further attention. 

5. A. SATIVA, Common Oat. 

This is well known every where and has always been a favor- 
ite crop with me, both for winter pasture, hay and grain. The 
'red rust proof variety is preferred to all others, the potato oat 
being my second choice. The former has never rusted with me. 
The latter has not been sufficiently tested to be assured against 



80 1^"akmi:j;'s Jjook of GKA.ssEa ■ 

rust. The out is so well known tiuit no disenssion of it is need- 
ed here. It is much superior to Indian corn for feeding hor- 
ses and mules. I could not he induced to feed my own stock 
mainly on Indian corn. The horse led with oats has more 
elasticity, K[)irit and bottom, lasts much longer and is capable of 
more prolonged exertion. I consider three bushels (9(i pounds) 
of oats equivalent to two bushels (112 |)Ounds) corn for hoi-sc 
food, with many advantages over the latter. 

A R RH EXATHP^RUM. 

A. AVKNAv'EOi, Tall Oat Grass. 

This is called also TaJI nieadoir o<if gras^, Evergreen grass in 
Vir"in!a and other southern States, and it is the Tall oat (Ave- 
na elatior) of Linnseus. It is closely related to the common 
oats and has a beautiful open panicle, leaning slightly to one 
side. ''S|»ikelets two-fiowered and a rudiment of a tliird, opo^n ; 
lowest Hower staminate or sterile, with a long bent awn below 
the middle of the back." — Flint. 

It is widely naturalized and well adaj)ted to a great variety 
of soils. On sandy, or gravelly soils it succeeds admirably, 
orowing two or three feet high. On rich dry upland it grows 
from five to seven feet high. It has an abundance of perennial, 
lon^,'; ni)rous roots penetrating deeply in the soil, being therefore 
less affected by drought or cold, and enabled to yield a large 
quantity of foliage, winter and summer. These advantages ren- 
der it one of the very best grasses for the south both for grazing, 
being evergreen, and for hay, admitting of being cut twice a 
year. It is probably the best winter grass that can be obtained. 
It sta^ids high in nutritive principles as will be seen by 



Way's 


ANALYSIS. 








Green . 


Dry. 


Water, 




72.65 






Albuminoids or fiesh forming j 


|)i"inei 


pies, 3.54 


12.95 


l^^atty matter, 




.87 


3.19 


Heat producing principles, 




11.21 


38..03 


Wo<^)dy fibre. 




!).37 


34.24 


Mineral matter, (U- ash. 




2.3() 


11.59 



100.00 100.00 

It will make twice as much hay as timothy and containing a 
greater quantity albuminoids, and less of heat producing prin- 
ciples, it is better adapted to the uses of the southern farmer, 
while it exhausts the suriace soil less and may be grazed indef- 
initely except after mowing. To make good hay it must be 
cut the instant it blooms and, after cut, must not be wet by dew 
or rain which damages it greatly in ((uality and api)earance. 



And OTiii:ii FuKAGii!: i'l.ANTS. 81 

For green soiiing it may be cut four or five times with favor- 
able seasons. In from six to ten days after blooming the seeds 
begin to ripen and fall, the upper ones first. It is therefore a 
little troublesome to save the seed. As soon as those at the top 
of the panicle ripen sufficiently to begin to drop, the heads 
should be cut off and dried, when the seeds will all thresh out 
readily and be matured. After the seeds are ripe and taken off 
the long abundant leaves and stems are still green 
and, being mowed make good hay. 

It may be sown in Marcli or April and mow^ed the same season ; 
but for heavier yield it is better to sow in September or Octo- 
ber. x\long tlie more southerly l^elt from the ol° parallel 
southvv^ard it may be sov^ai in November and onward till the 
middle of Decembci. Yv henever sown it is one of the most cer- 
tain grasses to have a good catch. Not less than 2 bushels (14 
pounds) per acre should be sown. Like timothy, on inhospi- 
table soils, the root may sometimes become bulbous. The aver- 
age annual nutrition yielded by this grass in the southern belt 
is probably twice as great as in Pennsylvania and other north- 
ern Stairs. . 

HOLCUS. 

1. H. LANATUS, Velvet Grass, Meadow Soft Gra.ss. 

In the eastern States this grass is called Salem Grass and 
White Timothy ; in the soutli Velvet Lawn Grass and A^'e} y^t 
Mesquit Grass; in England Woolly Soft Grass and Yorkshire 
White; on the continent it has three French, two German, one 
each Dutch, Danish and Sweedi.sh names. Yet it has been sent 
to me for name, from many places in many States and more fre- 
quently than any other grass. Having found its way to Texas, 
how long ago would perhaps be difficult to ascertain, people go- 
ing there from the older States have sent back seeds to their 
friends calling it Texas Velvet Mesquit Grass, supposing that it 
is a native of that State. So far as has come to my knowledge 
nine-tenths of all the so called Mesquit grass planted in the 
southern States is this same European Velvet Grass. 

This grass is so beautiful and different from all others as to 
arrest the prompt attention of the most listless person. It 
grows much larger in some of the southern States than in the 
eastern or in England; and it seems ^ too, to be more valuable 
here. It grows two to four feet high he^-e with compound pani- 
cle variously tinted-frosty, pale, greenish, pinkish, reddish e|;c. 
The leaves, sheaths and joints are covered with soft downy 
hairs, giving the plant the touch and appearance of the softest 
velvet. With a moderate magnifying powe? it will be seen 
that the stem, sheaths, leaves and branches of the panicle are 
marked by longitudinal striae, green and Mdiite, the latter being 



82 Fajiimek^s i')(;()j-: of Gka.ssjks 

the nairoMX'i-. It is the mingled tints of these stripes that give 
t!\e peculiar shade to this grass. 

Velvet grass may be readily propagated by sowing the seed 
or by dividing and setting the roots ; and it will grow on almost 
any land liowever poor. It luxuriates in moist peaty lands, but 
will grow on poor sandy or clay hill lands and produce rerauner- 
ativc crops where few other plants will make any thing. It has 
been cultivated in North Carolina on such land and, after cut- 
tino- and alknved to grow again, plowed under with so much ad- 
vantage that other crops were subse<|uently prodneed, Hon. H. 
W. L. Lewis of Louisiana has cultivated tiiis grass many years 
with great satisfaction. He tried it variou;- ways. One. Avhich 
he approver, is to j^repare th(> ground well and sow turnips in 
ro->vs two and a half feet apart in July or August. When up 
tliiu to six or eight inches, cultivate once or twice and sow the 
grass seed broadcast and brusli in. Little or nothing is seen of 
the grass till the turnip crop is taken off; then the iirst warm 
days in January and February give the grass a rapid growth. 
From that time a part is cut daily for the cattle and work hor- 
ses, one acre affording an abundant daily feed for six horses till 
oats are ready to cut. Then, ceasing to cut, it matures five or 
six bushels of seed. 

According to Way's analysis 100 j)arts of velvet grass dried 
at 212° F. yielded : albuminoids 11.52, fatty matters 3.56, heat- 
ing principles 39.25, woody fibre 39.30, ash 6.37; showing that 
in flesh and fat forming principles it surpasses timothy sMghtly, 
thouo-h not equaling it in heat producers. Yet some of our 
northern as well as English farmers tell us it is an inferior grass, 
not relished by cattle etc. This cannot be because of any lack 
in quantity of nutritive matters as shown by V/ay's analysis. 
This will be still further manifest by considering Sinclair's - Wo- 
burn experiments. Let us use one of the l)est, orchard grass, 
for the comparison. Cut in bloom from rich sandy soil it yield- 
ed green per acre, 27,905 pounds which dried gave 11,859 
pounds, containing 1,089 pounds nutritive matters. Velvet 
orass, cut in bloom from stiff clay loam, yielded 19,057 pounds, 
which dried gave 6,661 pounds, containing 1,191 j)Ounds nu- 
tritive matter. Of the orchard grass 64 drams gave 122 grains 
nutritive matter, while 64 drams of velvet grass gave 240 grains 
nutritive matter. The advantage seems to be all the way 
through in favor of velvet gyass. 

The reason then why cattle do not prefer it, is not because of 
its deficiency in nutrition, but of its combination. It is deficient 
simply in saline and bitter extractive matters, which cattle rel- 
ish in grasses. 

It is by no means the best of our grasses ; but best for some 
lands and on such lands more profitable than other grasses. 
Other grasses are more profitable to me. 



And Otiip]r Forage Plaxtb. 88 

It should be- sown from August to October, fourtoeii pounds, 
equal to two bushels, per acre. Northward it is perennial; in 
the south not strictly so. It sef^ms to haYe been greatly im- 
]n'oved by acclimating in Texas and other southern States and 
this is true of some of the other grasses and forage plants. 

2. H. MOLLIS, Creeping Soft Grass. 

This has a shorter, more open panicle than the preceding, but 
the same soft, woolly appearance. It grows on a great variety 
of soils, but its strong creeping roots render it undesirable 
wliere we have so many better grasses for all purposes. 

Hip:r.(K'nLoA. 

H. KOREALis, Seneca, Vanilla, or Holy Grass. 

This fragrant grass has strong creeping roots and little foliage ; 
and though cattle eat it, it is not desirable for this country. 

2. H. ALPINA, Alpine Holy Grass, found in the northern 
States is still less valuable. 

Ai\THOXAXTniT:\r. 

A. ODORATUM, Sweet-scented Vernal Grass. 

This is an early spring and late fall grass, and b(\st known of 
the two fragrant species. A native of Europe, it is naturalized 
in most of our States to some extent, planted in gardens for use 
in bouquets, in meadows to flavor hay and in pastures to give va- 
riety and with a view, probably erroneous, of improving the 
quality of milk and butter obtained from cows feeding on it. 
The grass rubbed in the hands imparts its aromatic odor, as it 
does also to hay with which it is cured. This is due to benzoic 
acid found in this grass, or I'athor to an aromatic oil associated 
with the acid. 

Way's analysis of this grass dried at 212° F. shows in 100 
parts: albuminoids 10.43, fatty matters 3.41, heat producing 
principles 43.48, woody fibre 36.36, ash 6.32. The proportion 
of nutritive matter is very considerable, but the yield per acre 
is small. This and the fact that cattle do not relish it alone in- 
dicate that it Avould be profitless sown alone. Hence it is al- 
ways properly mixed with other grasses for pasture or meadow. 
It is perennial and hardy, and grows one or two feet high. 

The palet which encloses the ripe seed has on the back a 
long twisted and bent awn. This gives the seed a property 
similar to that possessed by the "animated oat." Place the 
seed in the moistened hand and the awn, absorbing the moist- 
ure, is thereby made to untwist and cause the seed to move like 
an insect. It is by this action of the awn and palet that the 
seed is lifted ont from the other parts of the spikelet and thus 
prevented from germinating before matured in wet weather. 



The. seeds weigh six pounds to tlie bushel. Two pounds 
should be planted in mixtures. 

Milium. 

M. EFFURu:.r, Wild Millet Grass. 

This foreigner has beeome naturalized northwardj but I have 
not found it in the south. It grows irom three to six feet high 
from a perennial root and has broad, flat, thin leaves, eontain- 
ing little nutritious matter. It is not desirable on the farm. 
The closely allied genus 

Amphigarpum is found in the southern States where it is 
native. There are two species A. purshii and A. Floridanum, 
the latter a new species found by Mr. Chapman. ^Neither is of 
suiticient importance to reqv.ire further mention here. 

Cywosub.us. 

C. CEiSTATUS, Crested Dog's Tail. 

This has been introduced into this country spar- 
ingly ; and though nutritious it is not much esteemed, being 
short and soon becoming hard. According to Way 100 parts 
dried contained : albuminoids 11.08, fats 3.54, heat producers 
52. G4, woody fibre 26.36, ash 6.38. It is good in mixture for 
sheep walks and lawns, ten or twelve pounds per acre of seed 
being required. It grows on dry, sandy, calcareous uplands. 

Fhalaris. 

1. r. INTERMEDIA, American, or Stewart's Canary Grass. 

This is a beautiful native grass of the southern States, highl)^ 
esteemed, by the few who grow it, for Avinter and spring gra- 
zing, soiling, and hay. The variety, (angusta) especially is 
much larg<!r and more valuable. It grows two or three feet 
high, and in swamps five feet, with many leaves four to ten in- 
ches long and spike two to four inches long and somewhat re- 
seuiblinglhe head of timothy. Stock like it well especially as 
hay. Mr. D. Stewart of Louisiana having tested other grasses 
prefers this for quantity and quality for winter and spring gra- 
zing, and for soiling for milk cows. In some localities it is 
called Gilbert's Relief grass and in otliers California timothy. 

There is much testimony from many parts of the south of the 
same import ; and this grass is doubtless worthy of extended, 
careful testing. Never having been analysed, we have not at 
hand the means of estimating chemically its comparative nutri- 
tive merits. An analysis would probably, as in many other 
oases, verify the judgement of the intelligent farmers who have 
g^rown this grass. Being a native, it is specially desirable to 



And Othkr Foragk Plants. X") 

ti'row it with a sicw to ini[)r<)vemeiit. A.s has happt'iu'd with s(t 
many otiu'r plant.s, pix)})er .soil ami culture will pi'ol)al)ly dem- 
onstrate much worth and improvement in this j^rass ancl partio- 
uhirly the variety. 

2. P. ARUNDINACEA, Reed Canary Grass. 
This coarse, roug-h grass growing naturally in, and ahoiu the 
margins of marshes, shallow lakes and streams, possesses ada])t- 
ability to a variety of soils, wet and dry, and varies considera- 
bly in the coloring of foliage and flowers. On dry lands the 
haves become striped forming the garden variety known as rib- 
bon grass. The cylindrical stem frotn two to seven feet high 
bears five or six broad leaves, light green in wet places, various- 
ly striped in dry. It is a beautiful ])lant. 

Although all the analyses I have seen show considerable, and 
some a large proportion of nutritious matter, cattle do not relish 
it well. In the Woburn experiments, one acre of black, sandy 
loam yichled 27, '2'2r) pounds of grass, losing in drying 14,97-"> 
|)ouu(ls, and giving 1,701 ])ounils mitritive matter. A ten- 
acious clay soil yielded 34,().')1 pounds of grass, losing in drying 
17,015 pounds and giving 2,1 2G pounds of nutritive matter. 
According to Scheven and Rltthaiiseu the dried grass showed in 
100 parts: protein (J. 12, fat 1.30, heat j)i'odu(!ing principles 40. (j;) 
woody fibre 48.55, and ash 8.40. 

Vet it does not produce as much flesh or milk as its cfjmposi- 
tion would warrant us to expect, lint ^'c should remember 
that when in bloom, as it was in the Woburn trials, although 
it contains more nutritive matter than at an earlier stage, yet it 
has already become hard, woody and comparatively indigestible. 
It' utilized therefore for stock-feed, it should be cut while young 
and tender, only a foot or two high. It may thus be cut two oi- 
three times each summer. It should never be allowed to reach 
full bloom, because subject to atta(4<:s of a fungous growth sim- 
ilar to, or [)crhaps identical with spurred rye, or ergot, which is 
considered very fatal to cattle eating it. 

This hard grass might be rendered tender and digestible by 
placing in silos or by ensilage, as now practised in France and 
l)y a few in America, with corn fodder for winter forage. 

This grass may be propagated by dividing and transplanting 
the roots every square foot, or by sowing the seed at the rate of 
half bushel or twenty-five pounds per acre. 

In marshy lands it weaves such strong webs of roots that it 
(^an bear up teams of oxen and loaded wagons. It retains wash- 
ings, thus assisting to fill up and reclaim small marshes. It 
may obstruct small streams and thus produce other marshes 
however, which must be guarded against. 

In ('onclusion, as we have so many better grasses for agricul- 
tural purj)oses, I would not recommend to cnltivate this for 
forage. 



8() l-* AKMfiK's EOOK OF GliASSKS 

3. F. CANARiEXSis, Common Canaiy Grass, partially natu- 
ralized in some localities, is pretty, and, when young, relished 
by cattle ; but it is cultivated only for the seeds for bird-feed. 

Paspalttm. 

In the southern States there are twenty species of Paspalum 
recognized. No trivial name has been generally adopted for 
any of them. The name 'water grass' has been a]iplied to one 
or two of thorn that grow not in the water but in cultivated 
fields; but is only of local use and not distinctive from having 
been longer appropriated and more generally given to si^veral 
other grasses. Paspalum is more generally used; and there is 
no reason wdiy it should not exclude all other names. The sev- 
eral species can then be designated by adding a word marking 
some characteristic of each. 

Except two, these paspalums are all perennials. They are all 
succulent, tender, nutritious, hardy, thrifty and relished by all 
grass-eating animals. They fill the soil with a matting of roots 
and cover the surface densely with luxuriant foliage from early- 
spring till autumnal frost. In some localities fi'om this dense, 
rather smooth covering where grazed, they are called as if one, 
'carpet grass.' But this name, also having been previously ap- 
propriated, is not distinctive. Several species are often found 
on the same common, arriving at maturity at dilferent periods. 
and some are in perfection throughout the season. 

The genus as a whole is one of the most valuable of all our na- 
tive southern pasture grasses, perhaps I should add, hay grasses. 
For compared with three of the best known and esteemed culti- 
vated grasses the nutritive matter they contain is in the follow- 
ing order : timothy 67.26, paspalum 65.85, orchard 60.91), blue 
grass 56.04. Although this shows timothy containing a little 
more nutritive matter, yet, being less digestible, it does not 
make so good a hay as paspalum. 

Mr. Collier's analysis shows that 1. Paspalum Iceve contains in 
100 parts : oil 1.74, wax 1.02, sugars 8.86, gum and dextrin 5.47, 
cellulose 27.72. amylaceous cellulose 26,67, alkaline extract 
13.95, albuminoids 8.14, ash 6.43. The ashes were found to 
contain potassium oxide 25.44, sodium 1.12, sodium oxide .60, 
calcium oxide 9.36, magnesium oxide 5.56, sulphuric acid 5.64, 
phosphoric acid 6.18, silicic acid 44.65, chlorine 1.73. 

Another farmer and myself have spent our lives so far in the 
same vicinity. He has always been Avidely known for tlie good 
condition in which he keeps all his animals and for liberal feed- 
ing. For twenty-five years he has been feeding this grass : and 
for many years lias had a meadow of this grass alone, from 
which without ever having seeded, he annually mows about two 
toiis of hay per acre. Drovers, who have been in the habit of 



AwD Othp^ii Forage Plaints. 87 

stopping with hini cveiy year, declare this hay to bo unsurpass- 
ed for excellency by any hay produced in any other State. 

This PaHpohmi kecc, Smooth Ereot Paspalum is perennial, 
urowing naturally in dry woods, margins of fields, and open 
meadows, two to four feet high, with three to five slender spikes 
tiiree or four inches long near the top of the simple erect stem. 
Tiie leaves are rather long and broad. It grows rapidly in the 
cotton fields, even on poor clay and sandy hills. The seeds arc 
large and nutritious ai.ul fall easily while apparently green, 
though really mature, the stems and foliage remaining green 
long after. It should therefore be cut before the seeds get ripe 
enough to fall oh'. It is usually cut once a year. It might be 
cut two vr three times with much more profit. 

"2. P. PRj^icox, Early Paspalum, grows in the same localities 
as the preceding, erect, about the same height and having three 
to six spikes. Its leaves are narrower and the sheaths often 
pur])lish. The seeds arc in pairs arranged in thrge rows on the 
straight flattened racliis, and the glume three nerved, often dis- 
colored. The preceding has the glume with five nerves and thv 
siuffle seeds arranged in two rows on a flexuous rachis. 

o. P. E.ACEMULOSUM, Stemmed Paspalum, grows also in 
same localities as the preceding, two or three ieet high, bearing 
two or three erect, slender spikes four inclies long ; seeds single 
or by pairs distinctly pedicelled, distant on the filiform rachis. 
The leaves are long linear, glaucous, sprinkled as an; the slieaths 
with long white hairs. 

4. P. ciLiATiFOLiu^^r, Hairy Slender Paspalum. 

This is quite common both on dry and wet soils, with stems 
one or two feet long, often prostrate ; frequently t\vo or more 
peduncles rise from the upper sheath, each bearing often but one 
spike ; leaves flat, one to three fourths of an inch wide, wavy, 
ii-inged on the edges and with the sheaths hairy all over. 

5. P. DiSTiCHUM, Joint Grass, Twin Paspalum. 

One name is from the flower stems bearing usually a pair of 
spikes, (which are one to one and a half inches long,) the other 
{i*)m its many-jointed diffuse stems creeping along the ground 
inserting roots at every joint. The flower bearing part of the 
stem rises about a foot high. This species grows as well where 
partly submerged as otherwise. 

6. P. DiGiTARiA, Finger Shaped Paspalum, has creeping, 
})ranching stem, finally rising a foot or two high ; often having 
several elongated peduncles from the upper sheath, bearing fil- 
iform, horizontally spreading spikes three or four inches long; 
sheaths compressed and leaves mostly fringed on the margins. 
This is found in open swamps. 

7. P. VAGINATUM, Sheathed Paspalum, is found in brackish 
swamps. The short jointed stems are diffuse, creeping, two to 
four feet long ; the flowering branches erect, five to ten inches 
higli ; the dilated sheaths persistent. 



88 I akmkk's Book of (jiKAssi:s 

<S. [\ WAT/rERi, Walter's Paspaluni, is found in eultivatecl 
lands, prostrate, creeping, one to three feet long ; s])ikes three to 
seven, the lowest included in the upper sheath. All the prece- 
ding are perennial. The next two are annuals. 

9. P. FLUITANS, Floating Paspaluni. 

Thiis is found in swamps; culm one to three teet long, with 
creeping or floating base, from which it ascends and hranclies, 
bearing numerous racemed spikes. 

10. P. UNDULATUM, Purple Pasi)alum, grows on rich culti- 
vated grounds one to three feet high, l)earing two to twelve 
spreading spikes two or three inches long; the small spikelets i 
crowded in three or four rows under the flat rachis ; the usually 
deep green leaves and sheaths often become ])urple. 

Two other species are found in Florida. For cultivation, 
the following are specially desiral)le: F. livrc, P. undaltduin and 
P. cMatlfoRum k)v dry uj)lands, slants and moist or dry bottoms; | 
P. pr<rro.i' flourishes in the same conditions, better perhaps witii 
more water; and /'. rdcrniidofniii in dry, sandy soil, but will 
succeed well on better, moistei- land. They come in bloom in 
the following order from May to Septend)er ; P. prtrcox, rdUdi- > 
folluni, keve, raeeimdoHuin, nndulainm ; and they continue to bloom 
from t\vo to four months each, making a fine succession tor 
pasture; for which I would sow a mixture of all these. 

There would be no ol)jection to sowing several of them, or 
even all for mowing and the mowing should be repeate*! :it 
proper intervals, allowing some seeds to mature l)efore each 
mow^ing to ensure a full setting next yeai\ although all these 
have perennial roots. 

The stubble may be plowed under in the fall or in thesj)ring, 
(»r replow^ed and harrowed in the spring; the latter plan ])erhaps | 
insuring a better crop than leaving the land unbroken fivun 
year to year. 

i^A.NK I'M. 

1. V\ HANGi'iNALE, Crab Grass. « 

Every planter is familiar with this widely disseminated, nat- 
uralized foreigner, which has won many a hard contest against 
man and l)east with plow and hoe, forcing the man with wearied 
brain and exhausted muscle to gain his bread in the sweat of 
his face — wdth many a Thomsonian sweat forsooth from top to 
toe. Yet I have seen a crop (many of them,) of this grass har- 
vested worth more than the corn that could be produced on the 
same ground. I have seen corn fields and cotton fields of a wet 
season so overrun with this grass that in May, June, July or 
August, ten days' work with mowers and horse-rakes would se- 
cure in choice hay two to ten fold more value, than many 
months' labor with teams and machinery and heavy expenses 



And Otjier Forage Plants. 89 

could obtain Irom the cotton or corn. Mowing among corn 
ridges is indeed rough work. But I have seen a mower that 
worked admirably and cut the grass all perfectly by running 
across the ridges. It is impossible with any mower to do satis- 
factory work running with the rows. 

Yv^hen the corn crop is good and early matured and the grass 
late, the former may be harvested ; and the mower may then be 
used as above, cutting stalks and grass ; or if desirable the stalks 
may be first cut with hoes and removed. When I had no mow- 
ers, I found the grass scythe a valuable implement for cutting 
this grass. Cutting with the hoe and pulliug by hand, as many 
do, gather too mucli dirt with the hay. This grass makes an 
excellent hay of which live stock are very fond, preferring it to 
the best northern hays. Mr. Collier's analysis gives, for crab 



grass : 










Oil, 




2.87 


Amylaceous cellulose, 


24.29 


Wax, 




.02 


Alkali extract. 


3.87 


Sugars, 




9.88 


Albuminoids, 


9.99 


Gum and 


dextrin, 


5.60 


Ash, 


10.68 


Cellulose. 




32.80 







100.00 



FOR ASH. 



Potassium, 


6.67 


Phosphoric acid. 


6.40 


Potassium oxide. 


33.56 


Silicic acid, 


30.93 


Calcium oxide. 


4.40 


Chlorine, 


6.04 


Magnesium oxide, 


7.98 








Bulphuric acid. 


4.02 




100.00 



This grass varies much in size and other respects according 
to soil and season. Stems have been measured seven feet long; 
but it is usually two to four feet, and may yield one to two tons 
of sweet delicious hay per a(Te. It should be cut as soon as in 
bloom ; and often two mowings may be made in a season. 

Any good piece of ground that has had this grass matured on 
it the preceding year may be plowed and harrowed smoothly 
and then rolled in May ; and it will soon be covered with a rich 
growth. 'If the season favor, two mowings should be made. 
For a number of years I pursued another plan also with much 
satisfaction. A piece of land that had matured plenty of crab 
grass seed was prepared and in the fall sowed with spotted me- 
dick (sometimes called yellow, burr, or California clover) for 
winter and spring pasture, without any thought of the grass. 
As usual, the medick having matured seed, died in May. Im- 
mediately crab grass came up very thick. This mowed in July 
and August and again in October. This process was repeated 
for a number of years without reseeding, or any other work than 
mowino-the orass. The second cutting yielded not over half as 



90 Kakjmkk's J^uok of Gkashes 

much hay as the earlier one, but it was of the choicest quality. 
The medick seemed to replace the elements removed by the hay 
cro}>, the last year yielding as much hay as any preceding;. The 
medick was never mowed, but grazed from December till April ; 
after which it covered the ground very densely, maturing seed 
promptly, whicii after removing the hay in the fall sprang up 
for winter pasture. This process was continued till the land 
was required for another purpose. See pages 3 and 4 for a fuller 
account. 

Crab grass is excellent for summer pasture also; and with 
many bad managers it comes as a God-send to eke out a short 
corn supply for work animals, saving their lives from May to 
August and thus saving the growing crop. .^ ?.,»„.;s 

2. P. viRGATUM, Tall smooth Panic grass. 

This is called also switch grass; and h^ August and Septem- 
ber the stem attains a height of two to seven feet, being crowned 
with a large, diffuse, open panicle. On sandy, moist soil it 
thrives vvcll, yields considerable forage and is nutritious if cut 
young. A number of stems rise from each clump. Its proxi- 
mate principles vary considerably in different localities as is 
manifest from the following analyses made by Mr. Collier of 
samples from Texas and Alabama : 

^" Alabaiii.i. 

1.75 

.17 

9.61 

3.02 

28.87 

25.94 

22.50 

4.58 

• 3.56 



X 


Texas. 


Oil, 


1.25 


Wax, 


.45 


Sugars, 


7.05 


Gum and dextrin, 


3.37 


Cellulose, 


37.38 


Amylaceous cellulose 


27.59 


Alkali (extract, 


13.06 


Albuminoids, 


5.01 


Ash, 


4.84 



100.00 100.00 

Ash anat.ysis. 

Potassium, 3.36 1.54 
Potassium oxide, 18.76 • 22.53 

Sodium, 1.22 1.74 

Calcium oxide, 7.87 7,39 

Magnesium oxide, 3.63 7.9*^ 

Sulphuric acid, 3.56 5.29 

Phosphoric acid, 5.50 4.37 

Silicic aci"d, 51.17 45.10 

Chlorine, 4.93 4.O6 

100.00 100.00 



And Other Forage Plants. 



91 



This grass is valuable on the soil mentioned above and is per- 
ennial. 

3. P. FILIFORME, Slender Crab Grass. 

This plant grows well on dry sandy soil, is about two feet 
high, very slender, has little foliage and is consequently of no 
great agricultural value although very common. Still Mr. Col- 
lier's analysis is appended : 



Oil, 


1.29 


Amylaceous cellulose, 29.96 


Vt ax. 


.25 


Alkali extract, 23.19 


Sugars, 


5.89 


Albuminoids, 3.32 


Gum ahd dextrin, 


4.67 


Ash, 4.65 


CVllulose, 


26.78 





Ash. 



Potassium, 13.41 

Potassium oxide, 12.98 

Calcium oxide, 4.69 

Magnesium oxide, 5.18 

Sul])huric acid, 4.84 



Phosphoric acid, 
Silicic acid. 
Chlorine, 



100.00 



6.37 
40.36 
12.17 

100.00 



4. P. ANOEPS, Double-headed, Variable Panic Grass. 



This perennial is very common on tenacious, damp, sterile 
soils, the flat stems rising from one to four feet high; the radi- 
cal leaves abundant, soon tough, eaten by cattle and horses, but 
not when they can get better, tenderer forage. It forms strong- 
ly rooted, spreading clumps, often completely carpeting the 
ground with very pretty, glossy, light green, assargent foliage. 

5. P. AMARUM, Bitter Panic Grass. 

This perennial is very common on sandy lands, and especially 
about streams. It is too bitter and otherwise unpleasant to be 
relished by cattle and is eaten by them only when they can do 
no better. 

6. P. CAPILLAEE, Hair-stalked panic, or Old Witch Grass. 
This annual grows preferably on sandy lands, but is found in 

old fields and poor cultivated lands all over the United States. 
The culms rise one or two feet high, bearing a few scattered 
seed on capillary wide spreading branches. The stems are frag- 
ile when dry, and the panicles are often seen floating high up 
in the air, landing in trees, houses, streams, ponds etc. Often 
the wind breaking them off where a field is covered with them, 
rolls them along and piles up again.st fences and hedges to a 
height of several feet ; and sometimes they fill up gullies and 
cuts in roads. But the branches although so slender are rigid 
and rough, so that they pack so loosely that one might pass 
through a pile of them at night almost without being aware of 



its pre^^intee. fliis grass, especially the ,,^.j.^ varieties is utter- 
ly useless for cattle. 

7. P. DiVERaENS, Autumn Panift • g^^^^^^^ 

This perennial is very commoJt • ,^j^ ^^,^ ^^^^^^^ j^^^^^l^ ,^^^^1 ^^j^l 
fields, growiilfif about a foot lugb. Cattle eat it 'when they can 
find u()thiiig better; but it iswor' ^i^ jj^^j^^ 

8. P. NrERUCCosDM, A\'artyP anic Grass. 

This perennial is found m ^iV ^j^-jpy^ xhe culms are from two 
to four feet long, ve3-y sleijdf j.^ smooth and branched. The 
o-lumes are rough with wiv ^^^^ warts. This grass is worth 
little. ■ 

9. P. LATiFOLiiJM, Btos .d-leavod Panic Grass. 

This perennial gr6>Vs tw ^lyg ^^ eighteen inches high in moist 
or dry, rich wooded lalia g. with leaves an inch or more wide 
and three or four inches long. It bears repeated grazing from 
May on¥/ard and cattle relish it. But it grows too scattering 
to be profitable in cuP ivation. 

10. P. CLANDBSTir ,UM, Hiddcn-flowcred Panic Grass. 
This valuable per' jnnial is similar to, and grows intermixed 

with the last. Pt is later and the stems one to three feet high, 
very leafy and wit).i axillary branches ; the panicles lateral and 
terminal, small arid more or less hidden in the sheaths; the 
leaves one inch or more wide and three to six inches long. 

11. P. PANOJFLORUM, Few-flowered Panic Grass. 

This grass grows one or two feet high in swamps and bogs 
and is of little value. 

12. P. VISCIDUM, Sticky Panic Grass. 

This soft, densely velvety, downy grass grows one to four 
teet high in wet swamps and bogs ; stems very leafy and much 
branched, varies very much. It is of little value. 

14. P. DiCHOTOMUM, Polymorphous Panic Grass. 

This perennial growing in swamps, woods, fields, every sort 
of place from a half foot to three feet ;high is very variable in 
stems, panicles, branches, leaves, down, hairs etc. Stock eat it; 
but it is not very valuable. 

14. P. GLABRiJM, Smooth Pauic Grass. 

This is common in pastures and along road-sides, resembles 
P. sanguinale in general appearance, but is smaller and not 
hairy, nor so mucl) relished by cattle. 

15, P. OBTUSUM, Obtuse flowered Panic Grass. 

This grass, found in Texas, New Mexico aud South Amer- 
ica, is described as "similar in appearance to the P. Texmmm, 
but lower and less vigorous in growth, with narrower panicles, 
and narrower, smoother leaves." Ag. Dept., R. 1878. Mr. 
Collier's analysis annexed shows its nutritive value about equal 
to that of Texas millet. 



And Other Forage Plants. 93 

1.77 Amylaceous cc 
Wax, .50 Alkali extract, 

Sugars, 9.68 

Gum and dextrin, 5.74 

Cellulose, -33.32 



Oil, 1.77 Amylaceous cellulose, 24.21 

8.75 

Sugars, 9.68 Alhuminoids, 7.28 

Gum and dextrin, 5.74 Ash, 8.75 



100.00 

Asn. 

Potassium, 4.02 Phosphoric acid, 5.18 

Potassium oxide, 21. G5 Silicic acid, 48.60 

Calcium oxide, 5.91 Chlorine, 4.20 

Magnesium oxide, 3.13 

Sulphuric acid. 6.71 100.00 

16. P. PROEIFERUM, Prolific, or Sprouting Crab Grass, in 
favorable, moist situations, with many creeping stems rooting 
at the joints, throws up a large number of thick, succulent, ten- 
der, sweet, geniculate, much branched stems from three to sev- 
en feet high, with lateral and terminal, diffuse panicles. The 
broad lea^-es and panicles vary in length from six inches to two 
feet. It grows vigorously from mid-summer till frost; admit- 
ting several mowings and yielding a large quantity of excellent, 
Init somewhat coarse hay, requiring, as all succulent lai'ge plants, 
care and time to cure well. Horses and cattle eat it ravenously 
at all times, green or dry. I esteem it as a very valuable 
grass and worthy of much attention. Although naturally pre- 
ferriig river and creek bottoms and even brackish marshes, yet it 
grows luxuriantly on hill sides and tops, and late in the fall in 
moist cultivated fields. Where cattle have free access to it at 
all times, they keep it eaten so closely as not to allow seeds to 
mature. It should not only be protected, but cultivated as more 
valuable and much more promising than many other forage 
plants of inferior worth now receiving great attention and care. 
It delights in and needs rich land, as do all very valuable for- 
age grasses. 

17. P. TEXANUM, Texas Panic Grass is perhaps the most 
beautiful of all the many species of Panicum. In habit it is 
much like crab grass, more branched, with more abundant and 
broader leaves — the latter |- to 1 inch wade and six to eight 
inches long. The whole plant is tender, nutritious and highly 
relished in both green and dry stat'^ by live stock. Its growth 
is luxuriant and rapid, the stems attaining a length of three to 
five feet, and the yield of forage is very large. The analysis 
made by Mr. Collier as published in the Agricultural Depart- 
ment Report for 1878 is as follows 



Oil, 


1.98 


Amylaceous cellulose, 


20.64 


Wax, 


.56 


Alkali extract. 


18.43 


Sugars, 


12.49 


Albuminoids, 


5.61 


Gum and dextrin. 


5.98 


Ash, 


6.63 


Cellulose, 


27.68 


- 







100.00 



<)4 FAiiMKii's Book of Grasses 

ANALVSIS OF ASH. 



Potassium, 


4.54 


Sulphuric acid, 


4.(j;3 


Potassiuni oxide, 


27.95 


Phosphoric acid. 


8.48 


Sodium, 


1.58 


Silicic acid, 


.34.;31 


Calcium oxide, 


7.39 


Chlorine, 


6.55 


Ma&ncsiiim oxide, 


4.57 









lOO.OO 

In the same report, Mr. Pryor Lea of Goliad, Texas, is quoted: 
"I consider it far superior to any grass that I ever saw for hay. 
It is a much more certain crop than millet, and cultivated with 
less labor, and ail kinds of stock prefer it. I expect to report 
a "-ood second crop on the same ground this year. In this re- 
o'ion this grass, in the condition of well-cultured hay, is regard- 
ed as more nutritious than any other grass. It grows only in 
cultivated land ; it prospers best in the warmest fourth of the 
year ; its luxurious growth subdues other grasses and some weeds, 
with the result of leaving the ground in an ameliorated condi- 
tion." 

The experiments of the present writer and others in Missis- 
sippi confrm the above statements substantially of Mr. Lea, ex- 
cept that it is subdued by some othc'r grasses. Our hardy crab 
grass (Panicum sanguinale) especially resists successfully the 
permanent establishment of its Texan relative. Where the 
seeds are sown on well prepared ground free from other grass 
seeds, the plant comes ^^^ell up to Mr. Lea's statement. But we, 
with others, have had to abandon it, reluctantly it is true, wh(;re 
other grasses overpower it, in districts noted for fine forage in 
great variety and perfection of growth. In some of our prairie 
country, however, and some other portions free from other gras- 
ses, it must be a very valuable crop. 

Since the foregoing was written, I tind that Prof S. B. Buck- 
ley first published a description of this grass in his Preliminary 
Report of the Geographical and Agricultural Survey of Texas 
in 1866. I think this grass so important that I quote his de- 
scription! : ''Culms erect or subdecumbent, terete, smooth; 
sheaths shorter than the internodes, subpubescent, and at their 
mnuths hairy; upper portion of the internodes and joints pubes- 
cent ; leaves six to ten inches long and eight to ten lines broad, 
long acuminate, under surface subpubescent; panicle compress- 
ed, five to eight inches long and five to seven finches broad; 
rays alternate, erect, lower glume. ovate, acute, one-half shorter 
than the rioret, five nerved; upper one seven nerved, acute, hy- 
aline, between tlie nerves subpul)escent, longer than and cover- 
ing the floret. Several stems often grow from the same root, 
stems sparingly branched, seed numerous and aggregated. 

"Common in the vicinitv of Austin, Texas, where it is often 
cut for hay, for which it is highly esteemed, because it is relish- 



And Otiikr Forage Plants. U') 

ed and eaten eagerly by hotU horses and cattle. It grows thiek 
and very rapidly, one or two months being sufficient to bring it 
to aiaturity enough for hay. It should be cut before the seed is 
fully ripe. It is said that it will yield sometimes two tons to 
the acre. Here it is generally permitted to grow in the corn 
fields, where it s])ringH up in June after the corn is laid by. It 
is of sufficient maturity to l)e cut from tlie middle to the last of 
August. The corn is often gathered, the stalks pulled, and 
then the grass is cut with a machine. It thrives best on the 
Colorado bottom lands, yet i have seen it growing on poor up- 
land soil, but it was dwarfed at least one-half. 

"It spreads very rapidly. Those who have a suitable soil 
can easily propagate it by scattei-ing a few of its seeds in a corn 
field. It is an annual, hence I do not think it will be hard for 
those to eradicate who do not wish to continue its (niltivation." 

This is no doubt the same grass mentioned in the Tallahassee 
Floridian as quoted in the kSouthern Cultivator for 1879 page 
415, thus: "We have been shown a specimen of the Concho 
grass, grown by R. C. Long, Esq., of this place, from seed 
brought by him from Texas, which certainly comes nearer ofl'er- 
ing^ all the desired qualities of pasture and forage plants than 
any we have ever seen." He adds that on the Colorado bot- 
toms, many of the farmers "have devoted their farms entirely to 
its production, finding it more profitable than corn or(;otton.** 
* We understand that in Texas, this grass is cut twice, and some- 
times three times a year, yielding about oiie and a half tons per 
acre at a cutting. The stubble is very heavy, and improves land 
almost equally with clover." 

Further experience will no doubt show that the last statement 
is erroneous; and this will the sooner a'ppear on hill or other 
lands not subject to overflow. 

18. P. AGROSTis, Agrostis-like Panic Grass, Munro Grass. 

For a few years this gi-ass has been experimented with by a 
number of planters in most of the southern Stat(\s. Never hav- 
ing grown it, I give from the Southern Cultivator for 1879, 
pages 425, 426, Mr, Geo. C. W. Munro's account of it. 

"The grass I discovered in 1875, has been ex])erinu'nted with 
more than ever before ; and from every State 1 receive favora- 
ble reports of it. G. W. Brit^Avn, Miiieola, Texas, writes, Sep- 
tember 1st., that it is seven feet high, still growing luxuriantly. 
— W. F. Rowell, Lodi, Miss., writes, September l6th., that all 
the seed I sent him germinated, and grew ofi finely, but that it 
was so late he feared he would not be able to save seed, as they 
had just begun to make their appearance. His grass was six 
feet high. Himself and ncMghbors were well plesised with it. — 



96 Farmek's Book of Grasses 

Dr. J. II. Watkins, Palmetto, Ga., writes that it is four feet 
high, and began seeding September 12, had stood a five weeks' 
drought without wilting, while erab grass and corn were badly 
parched up ^ 

"In order that the public may have all the benefit of my ex- 
perience with this grass, I have concluded to tell what I know 
about it in your .columns. I have, this year, set on« and one- 
half acres in the plants on land badly worn and cleared about 
seventy-five years ; but a portion of it has been used as a cow- 
pen, and planted in potatoes, sugar cane, wheat, oats and, last 
year, in cotton, producing at the rate of one-half bale per acre. 
This year it was broken deeply, and manured with compost of 
cotton [seed?] and stable manure, two pounds each to on© of 
Merryman's ammoniated guano, at the rate of 1,000 lbs. per 
acre, put in the drill and bedded on with long narrow scooter 
plough, run very deep, rows nearly three feet apart. The 
plants were set about eighteen inches apart, about the first of 
April; received two plowings and two hoeings; was cut 18th. 
July. One row thoroughly dried and weighed by sev^eral of 
my neighbors and land measured ; yield ascertained in that way 
15,842 lbs. per acre. The test row was under an average, if any 
thing. Although there had been no rain since July 29th., the 
grass began putting out and, in four weeks, it was about four 
feet high, and should have been cut again in five weeks, but I 
let it stand eight; and although I made good hay I had much 
trouble with it, as the weather was cloudy and occasionally a 
light shower. 

"Yield the last cutting 7,928 lbs using two rows instead of 
one as test rows. One was the row used in first cutting. It 
had several pounds less than the other, and the other was far 
inferior to some — both upon the wIkjIc about an average. To- 
tal yield per acre, 23,870 lbs. I should have broadcasted the 
manure instead of putting it in the drill. I should have had 
the rows 2 feet apart instead of 3, and the plants 12 instead ot 
18 inches. It jshould have been cut at least 10 days or two 
weeks earlier the first time and 3 weeks earlier the second. I 
would, in the same space of time that I got two cuttings, have 
gotten three, and fourth full of seed Lst. of November, the yield 
of hay would have been greater, the quality better, and the 
time required in curing lessened. For grazing purposes for 
cows, and work oxen I do not think it has an equal at the sea- 
son of year it is on hand. Cattle are more fond of it than any 
other grass — so are hogs. Horses and mules prefer crab grass, 
but will eat the other when they can not get the crab. A patch 
can be continued indefinitely, by taking stock off in time for it 
to ripen its seeds. 

"The seed should be planted in our latitude in January, and 
if set out, it should be done as soon as the plants get 3 or 4 inch- 
es high. 



And Other i*\)RA(iE I'lants. 97 

'"To .sum up, the grass is an annual — begins to seed in Sep- 
tember. Can be cut and fed green or (uired for hay. Stoelc an; 
as fond of the hay as they are of corn fodder. It can be used 
for grazing, soiling, or any other way that any other grass can. 
Jt l)cgins to come up in latitude 32i° about the 1st. of March, 
<;r a few days earlier if vveather IS moderate. Makes line feeii 
ibr cattle and iiorscs, stands drought well, and has nuidc with a 
o weeks' drought in May and weeks' drought in .July and Au- 
gust, nearly 12 tons of well cured hay. Seed are difficult to 
save, but the grass will seed the land wherever it grows, as crab 
grass does. It requires very rich laud and abhors the shade." 
In August, f<S8(), I received from Mr. Munro, a letter fully 
reallirniing the above sratoraents. He now says that horses pre- 
i'cr the hay to corn fodder. On rich land it will bear cutting 
lour oi* five times for soiling if weather favors, or three times 
for hay. H« thinks he can produce 30,000 pounds of hay per 
'dcve by heavy manuring. He sows the seed in January or Feb- 
ruary on a rich garden l)ed and transplants when the plants arc; 
(()ur inches high, the ground being sufficiently moist. He dis- 
covered a single bunch of this grass in his garden in 1875, and 
started ^vith the seed saved from it. 

A letter received at the same time from Mr. Kowell confirms 
the statements of Mr. Munro. He "had last year nine rows for- 
ty steps long, which was cut the last of July, cured three days, 
and made two wagon loads, all that a good yoke of oxen could 
[;ull, at least 3,000 pounds. It will seed as soon with as with- 
out cutting. " 

This is not a new grass. It grows natusally on wet lands, 
two or three feet high ; but in cultivation grows much larger 
. on rich land suited to corn. Tlie stems arc* flattxmecl, erect ; 
leaves long with smooth sheaths; the purplish spikeiets crowded, 
o'^ie-sided, on the spreading branches. The resemblance of red 
t'>p in color and general appearance of the panicle gives the 
speciti(; name. By saving sufllcient seed, one need not have 
the trouble of transplanting ; and by broadcasting, no doubt, a 
better hay could ])e produced — not so coarse. This grass is 
perennial further north ; but it is not the only one that has 
changed in this regard in lower latitudes. Kor is it the only 
one that lui'> shown like astonishing development under cultiva- 
tion. 

19. P. cuus-ciAi,Lr, {OpUHiaeyms of Beauvois,) Cock's-foot 
Gi-ass. This grass is called also barn-yard grass, and other 
names. It is very widely distributed in Asia, Europe and A- 
merica and varies very much in size, in hnives, stems, sheaths 
and panicles, even in localities not very remote one from anoth- 
er. It is found perfect in all its characteristic parts in speci- 
mens that never exceed three inches in height as well as those 
of sevcui feet. The spikes ran'ge from a few lines to four inches 



98 



Farmer's Book of Grasses 



in length, with or without abundant stiii hairs; the sheaths may 
be smooth or covered with hairs ; and the palets with long awns, 
or with none. Tlie panicle too varies much in color. The 
jtlant is annual with many stems, arising from a common base, 
each })earlng a long panicle with a large quantity of seed which 
readily fall oif even before fully matured. It kixuriates in rich, 
moist soils. 

In Louisiana, Mississippi, and some other States it is mowed 
annually. Some farmers assure me that they harvest four or 
f ve tons of hay per acre. It may be cut twice each season by 
making the first mowing as soon as it begins to bloom. I know 
no one who plants it; but it annually reseeds the ground and 
requires no cultivation, or other care, save protection from live 
stock and the labor of harvesting. 

Being a coaise grass, with long leaves and large succulent 
stems, it requires care to cure well. In one county in Missis- 
sippi, hundreds of acres are annually mowed on single farms. 
Cows and horaes are very fond of it whether green or dry. 
Farmers who have tested it most thoroughly for many years, 
prefer it to the best corn-fodder. I have been assured by some 
that on substituting this hay for corn-fodder, their work ani- 
mals immediately show decided improvement and require less 
corn. To make the best hay, it must be cut when in bloom. 
Cut later the awns and woody fibre become unpalatable and 
less digestible ; and much of the nutritive matter is lost by shat- 
tering off the seeds. The Ag. Dept. Keport for 1878 gives Mr. 
Collier's analysis of the plant and ash. 



ANALYSIS OP PLANT. 



Oil, 

Wax, 

Sugars, 

Gum and dextrin. 

Cellulose, 



1.54 

.57 

13.87 

5.07 
32.27 



Amylaceous cellulose. 
Alkali extracts. 
Albuminoids, 
Ash, 



21.37 

IhOS 

4.14 

10.14 



100.00 



ASH ANALYSIS. 



Potassium, 12.00 

Potassium oxide, 13.26 

Sodium, .37 

Sodium oxide, 

Calcium oxide, 7.23 

Magnesium oxide, 5.52 



Sulphuric acid, 
Phosphoric acid, 
Silicic acid, 
Chlorine, 



3.69 

4.27 
42.18 
11.48 

100.00 



Cultivation and well prepared land would greatly improve 
this grass. 

20. P. JUMENTORUM, Guinea Grass. 



And OTiiEK Forage Plants. 99 

The luime Guinea grass has often been applied to Johnson 
Grass, (Sorgliuni halapense) which see on a subsequent page. 
The latter matures seed in the United States, while the former 
seldom does even in Florida. The Guinea grass therefore must 
be propagated by dividing the clumps or from seed imported 
from tropical climates, usually from Jamaica. The tussocks 
may be divided and set out any time of year when the ground 
is moist enough and the temperature of the air not lower than 
40° F. But the best time to set is late in March and through 
April. If set in April after the ground becomes warm, the 
plants are up in a few days and by the laet of May ready for 
the first mowing ; which with favorable weather may be repeat- 
ed about every six weeks till frost kills it down. 

The roots are very easily killed by cold and must be protect- 
ed like sugar cane roots in winter. This cannot well be done 
by throwing earth on, unless it is kej)t like sugar cane in rows. 
On hill land"! have succeeded best in preserving sugar cane 
ratoons by covering with the cane tops and fodder. It is prob- 
able that the Guinea grass roots might be protected in a similar 
manner by taking oif no grass later than August and then mow- 
ing just before frost, or in October and leaving the grass as it 
falls on the ground. It is too tender to grow at any great dis- 
tance from the gulf shore ; but by protection might be cultiva- 
ted successfully in the southern portion of all the gulf States. 

The subjoined analysis of Mr. Collier shows this grass to bo 
more nutritious than many others, so that with its immense 
product of hay it is very valuable, especially near the seashore 
and on the sandy lauds where other good grasses do not thrive. 

ANALYSIS OF PANICUM JUMENTOKUM. 

Oil, 1.27 Amylaceous cellulose, 16.30 

Wax, .31 Alkali extract, 22.60 

Sugars, 5.93 Albuminoids, 8.95 

Gum and dextrin, 4.51 Ash, 8.37 

Cellulose, 31.76 

ANALYSIS OF ASH. 



100.00 



Potassium, 8.*57 Phosphoric acid, 4.37 

Potassium oxide, 35.93 Silicic acid, 16.51 

Calcium oxide, 10.18 Chlorine, 7.77 

Magnesium oxide, 14.16 

Sulphuric acid, 2.51 100.00 

Although this grass will do well on rather poor sandy land, 
it does much better on richer or fertilized land. Wherever i>t 
has had proper care the crop is enormous and satisfactory. A 



lO;) i'AinU'JI.-'s j^OOK OK (jitiA.S.SKH 

trojrical grass originaliy from Africa, it is now grown largely in 
the East-iind West Indies. Jn Jamaica it is held next to su- 
gar in value of crop, a single farmer producing five tiiousanJ 
dollars worth per annum of the hay. Propagated to any de- 
sired extent bv rapid increase of tillers it is esteemed in Florid;; 
and other parts of the south as a first c!a:^.s forage pltint. Cat- 
tle eat it with avidity, green or dry. • 

Mr. C. Codrington, a former resident of the island of Jamai- 
ca, settled some ten years ago in Florida. Finding the condi- 
tions adapted to the growth of Guinea grass, he ordere<l seeds 
from Jamaica and#planted in 1872. Other person.- also in otli- 
tr States had obtained seeds and roots from the saine source at 
vai-ious iiiiies for fifty years previon.s to his coming to Florida. 
Cut the earlier plantings had finall}- disappeared. Others siiice 
Mr. ('. h.ave also imported seed. i'dr. C. .says he never saw 
working mules get grain oi'any i-cind in Jamaica; and if ofi'ered 
to them they refused to eat it although hard worked, and led on 
Guinea gra.ss only. 

Mr. James John.son of Mullet Creek, Florida, received .seed 
from Jamaica and says : "it is a coar.se grass, and very swe/'t. 
My cattle and horses feed upon it with great avidity, preferring 
it to all and every other grass, and it certainly makes a ricii 
and nutritious pasture. With this gra.ss I believe Florida, with 
its mild and pleasant cliniate, might be made one of the iinest 
grazing States in the union.^' Much more testimony ot the 
same character could be adduced. This grass revohitioni/ed 
farming in Jamaica; distl'ict."^, barren and not susceptible of 
cultivation previous to the accidental introduction of this gra.ss, 
because the most [)routablc parts oi' the island, ])roducing as- 
tonishing numbers of line live stock for home use and for 
export. 

This grass need cause no anxiety in regard to its introduction. 
It has not the cane-like roots of the John.son grass and is easily 
exterminated. In fact it requires some (>are to a''oid losing it 
outside the tropics, as the experi('nce of many persons has 
proved in our southern States. Yet it is worthy of trial on a 
large .scale on our poorer ."undy lands in the southern districts of 
the gulf States. It tillers' ,so rapidly and abundantly that each 
plant may i)e separated into many parts a number of times 
each year — sometimes a single root w\\\ sup])ly over fifty new 
j)lants at one time. 

21. P. MILIACEUM, Common Millet. 

This is the 'common millet/ 'cultivated millet,' 'millet com- 
mnn' of authors. The genus, as shown under the head Tlie 
Millets, has been cultivated from very early times, (being the 
dochan of Ezekiol,) in all the countries from Southern India to 
Cential Europe : and later in Western Europe. It was brought 
from India to England in 1596, and has been long known to a 



Anl» Other ForiAOE Pt.ants. 101 

'iniitcd extt'iit in the United States. There are several varie- 
ties of it, founded on diff'^renee of eolor of the panicle or seed. 
On good land, it attains a height of three to six feet, resembles 
dwarf broom corn, produces much foliage and a panicle of which 
the branches lieavily h)aded with seed all incline to the same 
-ide. 

For feeding stock it should be cut, like the setaria, when in 
bloom. It is then tender, digestible and veiy nutritious, and 
may reach seventy bushels per acre if well cultivated. 

In order to show something of German industry, methods 
and careful; culture, we make a few extracts from the celebra- 
ted Thaer's great work, "Principles of Agriculture." Though 
of humble birth, his fame became so great that his friendship 
was sought by the most celebrated agriculturists of England, 
France, Denmark, Germany ; almost all the great sovereigns of 
Europe complimented him on his great success; those of Prus- 
sia, Russia, Baxony, Hanover, Bavaria and Wurtemburg sent 
him their orders of knighthood ; and noblemen from all parts 
of the world came to visit him, especially from England. 

He MTites : "The common millet is preferred as having the 
largest grain ; and the German millet as being least liabh; to 
shed its grain, as ripening more quickly, and as not being so 
much robbed by birds. The cultivation required by ])oth is the 
same or neaidv so. 

"Millet requires a warm, rich, sandy, well pulverized soil. It 
saceeculs better wlum sown after some crop which has been 
abundantly manured than it does when sown after an amelior- 
ation of undecomposed manure. 

"A soil must be tilled to a great depth for its leception, and 
plowed three times, besides being harrowed, rolled and thor- 
oughly freed from weeds. Many farmers dig their ground to a 
great depth previously to sowing it with this plant ; but a good 
plowing answers the purpose equally well. Millet is in gener- 
al very successful on newly drained land, provided that it is in 
good condition, and also land which has been left in repose for 
several years. In the latter case a single plowing is sufficient, 
if the soil is subsequently harrowed and well broken up with a 
roller before the seed is put into it. 

"Millet should be sown in May ; about three metzen of seed 

'is the quantity usually used per acre; a harrow then is lightly 

j)asscd over the soil, and where the ground is dry, a roller also 

must be used. The seed must be thoroughly ripe, perfect and 

free from disease. 

"As soon as weeds make their appearance among the millet 
which is just shooting above ground, they must be eradicated 
by weeding. This is absolutely necessary, if we would not en- 
danger the success of the crop ; and can only be dispensed with 
where the land has only lately been drained and brought into 



102 Farmer's Book of Gkahsj^s 

cultivation, and nonseqiiently has few or no indigenous weeds. 
It is on this account that millet can seldom be cultivated to 
any great extent. One weeding is rarely sufficient for it ; for, 
if the soil is at all disposed to produce weeds, it will require a 
second, if not a third — each one following about a fort-night or 
three weeks after the other. 

"The ])est way is to tear up the weeds with hand rakes con- 
structed for the puipose ; this mode of proceeding answers far 
better than hand weeding, as by its means not only all the weeds 
may be eradicated, but the supernumerary plants may be thin- 
ned oif. The effect of this cultivation on the success and vege- 
tation of the crop is wonderful ; after it the millet shoots up so 
rapidly tiiat the weeds seldom have time to grow again, or, if 
they do, it is in small numl)ers, and they may easily be pulled 
up. 

"Great attention is requisite to seize on the exact moment at 
which the plant attains maturity, especially with common mil- 
let, which ripens ver^ unequally, and is very liable to shed its 
seed. This evil is, however, much less to be feared where the 
crop has been cultivated, and thinned in the way we have men- 
tioned. Those who cultivate millet only in patches, cut off the 
spikes as they ripen, and carry them home in sacks; but as 
this can be done only where the plant is cultivated but little, 
the reaping must be commenced as soon as the greater part of 
the plants are ripe, and performed with great care with a sickle. 

"This plant must not be left on the ground in swaths, be- 
cause if rain comes on, and it gets wetted, it sheds its grain. It 
sliould, on the contrary, be immediately carried to the barns 
and there threshed, and freed from all impurities and foreign 
substances as much as possible. The grain should then be 
spread in very thin layers over the floor and stirred about ev- 
ery day with a rake until perfectly dry, otherwise it will become 
heated and bitter. The straw is tied up even though moist, 
and carried into the air to be dried ; if not properly dried it 
will become mouldy on being stacked. This straw is much es- 
teemed as provender for cattle. 

"Although when cultivated to any great extent it is not pos- 
sible to cut ofl the ears separately as they ripen, it is worth while 
to gather all those is this manner which will be required for 
seed. Grain which ripens thoroughly, and of which proper 
care has been taken, shoots up evenly, and products perfect 
plants, free from disease, and especially from smut, which fre- 
quently manifests itself in this grain where proper precautions 
have not been taken. The portion of millet which is intended 
for seed should be preserved in some place through which there 
is a free circulation of air, and where it can become perfectly 
dry ; it should be threshed when wanted. The best way of free- 
ing millet from its husk is by making use of mills somewhat re- 



And Other Forage Plants. 103 

sembling- fulling-mills, which beat it with sticks or hammers. 

"Millet is well known to be a very nutritious grain ; in most 
coMntries it forms an article of rice. Consecjuently its price 
generally bears a relative proportion to that of rice. 

''Millet also is cultivated as fodder; it is then sown more 
thicklv, and mown as soon as its panicles are developed." Pp. 
428-9'. 

The three 'metzen' are equal to about three pecks, and (contain 
about the quantity of seed to sow jier acre. This common mil- 
let may be sown here any time from April 10th, to July, perhaps 
later. None of the millets, indeed no other plants, receive so 
much cultivation in this (country as in Germany or Prussia. 
Timer's remarks on inafuriiuj and leaving and ^yreservhig seedi^ are 
speckdly valuable; rmd if generally practieed, tve should have better 
stands, more vigorous, healthy groirfh, and larger, Jieavier, sounder 
crops of all kinds. 

Prof. Flint says of this grass : "It is one of the best crops we 
have for cutting and feeding green for soiling purposes, since 
its yield is large, its luxuriant leaves juicy and tender, and 
much relished by milch cows and other stock. 

"The seed is rich in nutritive qualities, but it is seldom ground 
or used for flour, though it is said to exceed all other kinds of 
meal or flour in nutritive elements. An acre well cultivated 
will yield from sixty to seventy bushels of seed. Cut in the 
blossom, as it should be, for feeding to cattle, the seed is com- 
paratively valueless. If allowed to ripen its seed, the stalk is 
no more nutritious, probably, than oat straw. 

"Millet requires a good soil, and is rather an exhausting crop, 
but yields a produce valuable in proportion to the richness of 
the soil, and care and expense of cultivation." 

The seeds weigh forty pounds to the bushel. 

22. P. GiBBUM, grows in low, wet lands. 

23. P. DivARiCATUM, Small Cane, found in the Gulf States. 
Both perennial natives and perhaps one or two more of these 
Panic grasses possess considerable value; but they cannot be 
cultivated profitably and need no special attention. 

The Millets. 

Having made a careful study of this subject, in 1877, in the 
New Orleans Picayune, I published an account of many of the 
plants that have received this name. I here present some ex- 
tracts from that account which run through three numbers of 
the Picayune. 

This word is so comprehensive, is applied to so many plants 
widely differing both in appearance and botanical characters, 
there is so much confusion in the use of the word, and the sub- 
ject is so important that it will be proper, and even necessary, 



104 i^AKiMKU'.S l^OOK OF <tKA«SK« 

to enter into some historical investigation and details, in order, 
if possible, to dissipate the confusion and relieve the subject of 
its embarrassments. 

Let us see, first, vv^hat the two great American dictionaries 
say :Webster gives "Millet, [Fr., millet, or mil; It., miglio ; 
Sp., mijo; L., milium ; Sax., mil]. 1. A plant or the grain of 
a plant, of the genus Holcus, or Sorghum, having a stalk re- 
sembling a jointed reed, and classed by botanists anu)ng the 
grasses. Various species are used as food for men and animals, 
but the Indian niillet is the most common. The species are 
mostly nati^'cs of warm climates. — P. Cyc. 2, Millet grass, or 
millet, a hardy grass of the genus Milium, of several species. — 
Farm encyc. 

Worcester tells us, Millet, [L. milium ; It. miglio ; Fr. mil, 
or millet — A. S. mil, millet]. (Bot.) A genus of tall grasses, 
with succulent stems, native of the tropical parts of Asia ; Sor- 
ghum. — Ung. Oyc. 

The species have been referred to Holcus, sometimes to An- 
droiioffon. Sora;hnm vulgare is the largest of the small cereal 
grains, and may be considered the representative of the Indian 
corn of America, where it is usually called Guinea corn, and in 
some works, the great or Indian millet. — J^ng. Oyc. 

Millet grass, a genus of grasses, of several species; milium. — 
Loudon. 

However correct these definitions may be, the two "unabrid- 
ged" dictionaries and the four encyclopedias quoted by them 
certainly afford little information touching anything known as 
millet in our southern States. A nnmber of other dictionaries 
and encyclopedias are equally unsatisfactory. As no one will 
be apt to mistake the milium, or millet grass of the last sentence 
of each of the definitions, for what we call millet, it may be ex- 
cluded from further notice in this investigation. 

The earliest mention of millet that I remember is found in 
Ezekiel, iv, 9, in the year 595 B. C. In the Hebrew it is do- 
khan or dochan and identical with the Arabic dukhun. It is 
rendered in the Greek of the LXX kegchros. Latinized cen- 
chrns. The Latin Vulgate has it milium; Diodati's Italian, 
miglio ; Miguel's Spanish, mijo ; Luther's German, hirsen ; the 
French, Paris edition 180§, millet. 

Modern botanists do not apply the names cenchrus and mil- 
ium to the same plants to which they were applied in the abov*' 
and other ancient writers ; so that tiie common reader gains but 
little additional knowledge here. 

Pliny (XVIII, 7,) says: "As touching the millet, the liead 
thereof bearing seed roundabout, is bent likewise and curbed, 
beset also with fringes (as it were) of hairy fillets." This seems 
best to describe what for centuries has been known in Europe 
as "common millet" (Panicum miliacenm), mentioned on ])age 
100. 



And OxftER Forage Plants. 105 

Herodotus ((,'lio, cxciii,) speaking of "the Babylonian district," 
400 years B. C, says : "Tlie immense height to which millet and 
sesamnm will grow, although I have witnessed it myself, I 
know not how to mention. I am well aware that they who 
have not visited this country will deem whatever I mav sav on 
the subject a violation of probability." 

This also may refer to the "common millet" of Europe, though 
Herodotus may mean the holcus or sorghum of the dictionaries 
we have quoted. For I think it very probable that a species of 
the latter took its name from the locality mentioned by Herod- 
otus, since Daniel when a prisoner at Babylon (B. C. 580) 
speaks of the golden image erected on the plain ot Dura, (Dan. 
Ill, 1.) 

Forskal applies the name dukhun to a corn grass much lar- 
ger than the common millet, which he first found at Rosetta; 
and subsequently he found it commonly cultivated in Arabia, 
where it attained a height of five cubits, with seeds the size of 
rice. He calls it holcus dochna, which, probably, is also the 
sorghum of the dictionaries, or dura, durra, or donra corn, and 
being more than twice the height of the common millet, agrees 
with the height of Herodotus's millet. 

This view is confirmed further by Watson, who says : "It has 
been supposed that the dochan means what is now called in the 
East durra, which according to Neighbor, is a sort of millet, and 
when made into bad bread with camel's milk, oil, butter 
or grease, is almost the only food which is eaten by the common 
people of Arabia Felix. ... It is also used in Palestine and Syria, 
and it is generally agreed that it yields much more than any 
(»ther kind of grain." 

Many more authorities might be cited, but not wishing un- 
necessary accnmulations, we think that we have now clearly 
shown two genera of millets, viz: 1. Common millet, (panicum 
miliaceum,) and 2. Indian millet, (sorghnm vulgare.) Each of 
these appears in many varieties, and will receive further at- 
tention in their appropriate places in this book. None of these 
however, seem to be known to our southern people as »i/7/f^. A 
third genus, 

Setaria. 

The old Panicum Germanicum and P. Italieum, now classed 
by botanists as 

1. S. italk'A or germanica ; for they seem to be only va- 
rieties of a single species. They are called Bengal grass, Ital- 
ian millet, German millet, golden millet, Hungarian millet, etc. 
The German millet was brought from Southern Europe to En- 
gland in 1548, and the Italian from India in 1816, where it is 
called C\nigue. This German millet or Hungarian grass was 



10() i< AKJ\iKlc'.S ]>(.)()K UF yKA.SHJll.S 

introduced into France in 1545, and thenco into the United 
States through tlie Patent Office. 

Among other seeds ordered from a house in New York were 
a pound each of Hungarian grass and common millet. Each 
package had a printed slip pasted on, disclaiming all responsi- 
bility for genuineness ; although 1 had ordered expressly for 
the purpose of arriving at the truth by my own personal obser- 
vations. Not a seed of either germinated. I ordered seeds for 
the same purpose from a house at Northport, L. I,, also. The 
Italian millet and Hungarian grass prove to be the same, or so 
nearly so that very few persons seeing a sheaf of each together 
would be willing to say they are not the same plant. I sowed 
other samples from other States with like results. Lastly, 1 
sowed six acres with seeds of German millet from Missouri, a 
bushel per acre. It was harvested last v/eek. Among it are 
fine specimens of German millet, equally good of Italian millet, 
\-ery much better than that from the Northport Italian millet 
seed. 

There are also specimens of golden millet, Hungarian grass 
etc., all from, the same ' seed — all good. It was planted on 
broom grass sod during a drought, and had no rain till after 
ready to mow ; eonsecpiently, except on half an acre, the stand 
was very thin. It pays me, however, very well. Finding I 
would get too much dirt and dust by cutting and raking when 
it was just in bloom — in the right stage to be most valuable for 
forage — I purposed waiting a few days for rain, so as to avoid 
the dust. When the rain came, it was so copious that tlic ground 
became too soft to support either team or machine ; so I was 
forced to delay inowijig for two \veeks, wlien part of the seeds 
were in dough. A small plot — an eighth of an acre — was seed- 
ed from the same sample by accident. The plot was poor, part 
with no soil. This produces a good thick stand, but not' a stem 
of "German" or "Italian millet," according to the standard ; 
only the poorest possible Hungarian grass. 

Yet I Vv^as not disappointed in the result. It simply shows 
the effect of soil and other influences in producing varieties. 
By sowing a lot of these seeds from any of the varieties, or 
whatever called, in two years, by selection of heads and soils, 
half a dozen distinct varieties may be established. But on soil 
of even quality there will be little variation. Any of these va- 
rieties on good soil should, if the ground be moist, be ready for 
mo^^dng in sixty days from seeding, and produce fromv two t(» 
four tons of hay per acre. It is folly to sow it on poor land. 

For forage it should be cut as soon as it blooms, when of course 
it is worth nothing for seed but most valuable for forage and 
exhausts the land much less. If left for the seed to mature they 
are very abundandant and rich feed, but the stems are worth- 
less, while the soil is more damaged. The matured stems are 



AKh Other Forage Plants. 107 

very hard, indigestible and very injurious, and the ripe seeds 
will founder more })romptly than c^nni and sometimes produce 
diabetes, if mouldy and too freely used. If cut at the right stage 
the whole plant is a safe and very valuable forage. Most peo- 
ple delay cutting too long. 

It sliould be carefully and well dried. If suffered to mould, 
or mildew, or ferment it will become almost worthless, and may 
even become dangerously unwholesome for animals. In Hun- 
gary it is said to be preferred to everything else for feeding 
horses. It is the Moha de Hougrie of France. For seed it is 
better sown in drills; for forage broadcast to prevent the stems 
growing too large. In 1875, there was a ^uania for German 
millet seed, which run them up to |20 a bushel in some locali- 
ties. In t'v\o.years, as predicted, the seed in some localities fell 
to fifty cents a buslu;! ; so many, not knowing how to manage 
it were so sadly disappointed in their expectations of a crop and 
its value. 

The German millet grown in Tennessee seems to be the best 
variety ; the plant is larger and head much longer. It stands 
drought well, waiting for rain, has a large quantity of succulent 
leaves relished greatly l)y ail farm stock, and is thought to con- 
tain a larger proportion of nutritive matter than any of the 
other so-called millets. For forage it should be sown broad- 
cast, one i)ushel per acre. Thick scedings prevent the stems 
from becoming too large and hard. For seed ten or twelve quarts 
per acre in drills will suffice. It w^ill grow from one to seven 
■ feet high according to the ciualily and condition of the land, and 
yield from one-half to five tons per acre, with as great differen- 
ces in the appearance of plants as in quantity of forage. 

For using alone for feeding working animals, I much prefer 
it to corn, oats, or anything else. I have made many experi- 
ments with many kinds of feed, but never found anything more 
satisfiictory than German millet silone fed for two months to 
teams daily working. 

Another grass classed wath the millets is treated on a subse- 
quent page under the title PeniciUaria', and a fifth under the 
name Panicum sanguimde, treated on page 88. This last is the 
Di(jitaria sangiiinalis of some authors, the manna grass of the 
Germans. It is sometimes cultivated in Poland for the grain 
as a substitute for rice, etc., and heuce called Polish wiUet. It 
seems to thrive there under cultivation about as w^ell as wdth us 
in spite of attempts to exterminate it. It is not red or bloody in 
appearance as might be inferred from its specific name and as 
taught in some books. The name is said to have been founded 
on a practice of idle, vicious boys in Germany thrusting the 
spikes up the nostrils and thus causing a sanguineous fiow. 

Wc have in the southern States six other uncultivated grasses 
properly belonging with the Millets, and to the genus Setaria 



108 FakiMku's Book of GKAswEh 

2. S. SETOSA, Texas Millet, Pigeon grass, Bristle grass. 
Some vears ago I received seeds of this grass from Texas; 

and at first it was mistaken for ^S'. Italien, which it resembles in 
general appearance, though much larger. It has broad, long, 
light leaves and a stem from six to twelve feet or more high, 
bearing cylindrical racemose spikes from eight to thirty inches 
long, tapering to each end, gracefully nodding, and altogether 
making a fine display. The spike is extremely Innstly, and 
produces a verv large quantity of seed, which maturing from 
the top of the spike downward, are constantly dropping for 
many days. It is much disposed to branch at every joint, and 
sometimes the branches also send up other branches; and 
all these terminate in seed bearing s]>ikes. The whole plant is 
very light. Mr. Collier's analysis of it gives: oil 1.05, wax .46 
sugars 9.25, gum and dextrin 5.15, cellulose 32.76, amylaceous 
cellulose 26.41, alkali extract 9.60, albuminoids 8.61, ash 6.71. 
His analysis of the ash gives: potassium oxide .39.33, sodium 
2.47, sodium oxide 1.18, calcium oxide 2.31, magnesium oxide 
1.56, sulphuric acid 3.51, phosphoric acid 3.24, silicic acid 42.59 
chlorine 3.81. 

Although containing so much nutritive matter, none of my 
animals ean be induced to eat it. So that its utility is in the 
way of ornament. 

3. S. VERTiriLi-ATA, Bristly Foxtail. 

This foreigner seems at home with us. The stems are two 
feet high sparingly branched and topped with cylindrical pale 
green spikes two or three inches long with bristles short, sin- 
gle or in pairs, roughened downwards. All the following have 
bristles roughened upward. 

4. S. Gi.AUCA, Fox-tail Grass. 

Stems one to three feet high, branched ; tawny-yellow, or 
purplish spikes two or three inches long; bristles six to ten in 
two clusters, common. 

5. S. viRiDis, Green Fox-tail, Bottle Grass. 

Stems one or two feet high ; spike one or two inches long, 
green; bristles one to tUiee to each spikelet. 

6. S. coRRUGATA, Wrinkled Fox-taiL 

Stems two or three feet high ; purple spikes three to six inch- 
.es long, compound, dense ; bristles one to each spikelet. 

7. S. coMPOSiTA, Large Fox-tail Grass. 

Stems two to four feet long; spikes six to twelve inches long; 
bristles single or in pairs, long. 

These grasses are widely diifused in fields, commons, along 
and in roads and open forests. Some of them afford grazing — 
none are of much value for that purpose. Poultry are fond of 
the seeds, and they probably serve a similar purpose as those of 
the German and common millets in increasing the egg crop, for 
which the latter are so much esteemed. 



Am) OriiKK FoKAGE Plaxts. 109 

PENrcfT.LAJilA. 

P. si'KATA, African CVinc, Horse, Cat-tail, Eovptian, Ja- 
pan, East Indian, or IV'arl Millet. 

'I'liis grass has been g-rown to some extent for twentv-tive 
years in many juirts of the sonthern States — more largely since 
1805. Like all the other millets it shonld be planted on very 
rich, well pre|)ared land to obtain the best resnlts. It may l)e 
jjlanted in the .spring' as soon as the gronnd is snftieiontlv warm 
to bring it n}) promptly, one ])eck of seed per acre in drills two 
iiet apart, or two ]>ecks broadcast. No crop will pay better or 
yield more forage than this on very rich, highly fertilized land. 
On such land it has been cut on an average every forty-iive 
days from the time of planting till frost, with a reported pro- 
duct of .SO to 100 tons of green fiirage, or from 10 to 20 tons of 
dry hay. At the beginning of the season it the gronnd is too 
wet and (M)ld, it starts slowly; but as the temperature rises and 
more ]'<)ots are made its growth is more rapid so that it becomes 
marvellous, inci-easing from six inches a ^'^eek in the beginning 
to lifteen or twenty inches a week in the summer — the whole 
nund)er of cuttings in the season aggregating a total length of 
twenty or twenty-tive feet. It tillers enormotisly and produ(^es 
a large number of broad succnlent leaves and sweet, juicy stalks 
with rather short joints and ternunal spikes that resend)le 
. in general apjiearance the common cat-tail growing in southern 
marshes. 

Where it grows luxuriantly, it is impossible to cure it for hay 
on the ground upon which it is grown; so that it would be im- 
practi(;able to make hay of a large field of it sown solid. Hence 
it must be sown in small patt-hes or in beds with spaces be^ 
twi^en upon which to si)read it when cut. Another serious troub- 
le wcmld occur in the attempt to cure the grass on the ground 
where it grew. When cut, it would cover the stubble so deep 
and be so long curing that much of the latter wonld be killed 
and all damaged. These difticulties would occur only on rich 
land to begin with and then monnred with five or ten tons or 
more of stable manure or its equivalent per acre. But any one 
can have the crop as light as he chooses, even less than half a 
ton per acre, by sowing on poorly prepared and exhansted land. 
It will be readily understood however, that the best plan is to 
sow small patches on the strongest land on the farm; foron most 
farms a small surtiice of good land would produce enough of the 
forage whether to use green or dry. 

To maki! the best hay, it should be cut before seeding ; for 
feeding green, it may be (uit many times. It should always be 
4Rut a few inches (three, or four) above the ground, as new 
growth will thus be more prom jit than when cut close to the 
o- round. 



110 I'AU.MKK'.s i'OKK OK GliArt.sK.s 

Cattle and horses eat it greedily whether i)reen or dry. li' 
matared for seed before cutting-, the stalks l)ecome so hard 
that they are worth no more than stri{)j)ed, dry corn stalks. 

Planters, on tlu> bottom lands of the Mississippi river and its 
tributaries, who buy hay, would find themselves much more 
cheaply, abundantly and satisfactorily su})plied by sowing.small 
lots of this oi' Johnson grass on their dryest, richest lands. 

( 'knch r.us. 

1. C. TUiBUBULoiDEs, Hedgehog, or Bur (Jrass. 

This grass, with prostrate stems one or two feet long, spikes 
one or two inches long and having tei. or fifteen involucres arm- 
ed with spi'eading spines wliich become a hard l)!U'r, is found ou 
the sands along the coasts and at some places manv miles inland. 

2. C. ECHINATUS, Cock-spur is found in fields and on waste 
lands further inland; the stems one or two feet long; spike 
three or four inches ; involucre purplish, with spines and barb- 
ed bristles. These are wortldess weeds, and tiie burs with theii- 
rigid spines pierce painfully the bare feet of children and ha\'e 
to be removed by tlie hands or an instrument. 

STKXOTAPHKr>f. 

S. AMKRicAxr.M, Hard Grass. 

This perennial evergreen grass makes excellent winter jxisturc''; 
l)ut it is limited to damp sandy soils along the coast. Its culms 
are creeping, flattened, with erect flowering branches six to 
twelve inches high; leaves two to six inches long; spike lets bv 
pairs, one sessile the other pedicelled, sunk in excavations of 
the flattened I'achis. 

IvoTTHd'.LLIA. 

R. RUCiosA, and K. coKJircjArA. 

These are found in ban-ens, swamj)s and ponds, from two to 
four feet high, and R. rylindi-lca in dry sandy soil in Florida 
and are probably worthless for stock food. 

Manisueus granularis is a foreign grass, one or two feet 
high, now found in fields and pastures in the southern States, of 
little value. 

AxDRf)P()c;ox. 

A. viRGixicuH, Viiginia Beard Grass, Broom Grass. 

This plant is often called 'broom sedge.' But this anomalous 
compound word is properly excluded from all dictionaries and 
is recognized by no standard author. It should find no place 



And Otiiku Forage Plants. Ill 

ill any language, oral or written ; f'U- each of its CDniponent.-, 
contuin.s a false notion, as the plant does not belong to either 
the broom or the sedge family. It is a true grass. 'Broom- 
</rass is pretty widely used, but a number of other plants have 
the same name; hence this is not entirely satisfactory. Bcaom- 
grass would be open to none of the objections, but contains an ex- 
pressive ti'uth. 

The (ni(h-()jH)(/()ti.s have long rough leaves and solid woodv 
steins. Vv\y of them are of sufficient agricultural value tore- 
quire notice. The A. \lr(/inici(.s, however, contains a lar.ge 
quantity of nutritive matters as will be seen by Mr. Collier's 
analysis, which follows: 

Amylaccou.i ci'llulose, '2(5. ."32 

Alkali extract, 5.80 

Albuminoids, 13.00 

Ash, 0.44 



Oil, 




1.24 


Wax, 




.47 


Sugars, 




7.98 


Gum and 


dextrin. 


0.02 


(V'l 111 lose, 




33.72 



100.00 



ANASYSTS OF ASIF. 



Potassium, 7.0] Phosphoric acid, 2.97 

Potassium oxide, 1.'>.93 Sili(uc acid, 08.-33 

( 'alcium oxide, ().7<) Chlorine, (j.37 

>Magniesinm oxide, 1.83 

Sulphuric acid, 2.80 100.00 

W^hen this grass dries, it may be burned' off in the fall; and 
in the spring the perennial roots send up a new crop of nutri- 
tious and tender herbage which cattle, horses, etc. relish and eat 
with much Ijenelit. As soon as the seed stems stai't, stock eat 
no more of it. It becomes worthless for grazing or hay. If cut 
l)efore the stalks start up, it is very easily cured and makes a 
valuable hay. It is easily damaged by moisture and therefore 
should not be allowed to take rain or dew after wilting. A few 
hours' sunshine will cure it and make a better hay than large 
quantities of some other kinds sold annually in all our southern 
markets. 

It is one of the best materials for the use of nurserymen in 
packing their trees and plants. Excellent, durable, handsome 
baskets are made rtf it — also bee-hives. Horse collars and oth- 
er things are stuflled with it ; and the dried culms, having the 
leaves and seeds hackled out, are formed into besoms, that are 
light, ])leasant to use and sweep cleaner than the proverl)ial new 
broom from the store. 

The practice of burning off annually the broom grass, wheth- 
er in fields or forests is very reprehensible. It dissipates the val- 
uable organic fertilizers which the plant contains and gives op- 
))ortunity for the rains to wash away the rich mineral plant food 



1 1 -2 Kakmek'h Book of Grasses 

ill the a.sli, and otlierv/isc damages the soil most seriously. 
jv\eh acre (»f' it plowed under is worth as much as many tons of 
home made manure that cost much time to make, haul and dis- 
tribute over the land. Plowed under any time from the loth, 
of May till the 20th. of July, the land imnu'diately sown broad- 
cast with one or two bnshels per acre of southern tield peas and 
harrowed, a good crop of the latter may be elieaply jiroduced. 
The earlier ))eas that make much vine niay be mowed :iiid re- 
moved to furnish. al)undant hay lor winter use ; or the vines may 
have a heavv roller passed over them and then be ])lo\ved un- 
der in September and (3ctol)er with oats or barley. ■Mngnili- 
cent winter pastures will be obtained from December first till 
March ; and in May and June such harvests of barley and oats 
as are rarely seen. Tiie broom grass is destroyed, the land is 
mellow and, if not desired for other crops at once, may, il'the 
season be favorable, soon i)e covered with 'volunteer' pea vines. 
j>utturn on the stubble no stock, except hogs to gkan the re- 
maining grain I'or a fi w tlays, plow the stubble under in beds, 
and the ground is in the best condition for producing sweet po- 
tatoes. Harvest these in October, harrow and roll the ground 
and it is just right for receiving red or white <dover, l)]ue, orchard, 
red-top, meadow oat, or other winter grass seed. 

Again; this grass may l)e plowed under any time from Au- 
gust first till fifteenth Ajiril ; the land then planted with cotton 
seed from tenth to twenty-fifth of May will ])roduce a Jargely 
in(rreased yield of cotton. 

The A. trjicrourus, Cluster-flowered beard grass, -1. j)tr<'atHs, 
Finger-spiked beard grass, A. EllU.ttii, Silver beard grass, and 
^1. ^coparlas, Purple wood grass, Broom grass, contain much 
less than A. T77'r//?(/c(/,.s of animal or valnabh; plant food. They 
would not pay for harvesting uidess the stock-feeder. had con- 
centrated food and could ol>tain no better food to use with it. 
Ml-, ("ollier's analysis of A. scoparius follows : oil 1.J6, wax .43, 
suL!;ars 5.o7, gum and di'xtrin 3.44, cellulose 24.91, amylaceous 
cefiulose 2(3.51, alkali extract 2<S.07, albuminoids 6.21, ash 3.90 
to 100 parts of the dried grass. Mis analysis of the ash gave: 
potassium 15.70, calcium oxide 2.12, magnesium oxide .5<S, sul- 
])liuric acid trace, phosphoric' acid 1.33, silicic acid 64. ()2, chlo- 
rine 15.65. 

Six other species not mentioned here are found in the south- 
ern States. A. mclanoenrpus is remarkable as the largest, being 
from four to eight feet high and probably introduced. 

Tripsacum, Sesame Grass. 

T. DACTYLOIDES, Gama Grass. 

This native perennial grass was formerly found widely dif- 
fused throuffh the southern States from the seashore to the 



And Other Forage Plants. 113 

mountains. It is now seldom seen and but few protect it. It 
has been destroyed by cattle. Some forty or more years ago, 
many people in Mississippi and Louisiana planted patches of it; 
a few of which I'emain. All kinds of live stock eat it with a 
good relish wlien green and are fond of the sweet, nutritious, 
but coarse hay. It may be cut five or six times a year under 
favorable conditions and yields an immense quantity of good 
forage. I have measured the broad leaves of this grass seven 
feet long and culms ten and a half feet. The latter are worth- 
less and the grass should be (uit before the stems run up. The 
flowers are arranged in from one to three compact spikes at the 
top of the culm ; sometimes on branches also. At the top of 
the culm are the male flowers, consisting of the elongated orange 
or brownish colored anthers each set attached to a joint of the 
stem, one joint above another ; below these are other joints bear- 
ing the female flowers or stigmas consisting of long velvety, 
dark purple threads. The top joints soon drop off; then as 
they mature from above downwards the lower joints successive- 
ly fall. The latter contain each, one seed, many of which seem 
to be imperfect as they do not germinate readily. Hence it is 
best prt)pagated by setting out the large rhizomes, which are 
abundant on the surface of the ground and often piled in large 
quantities on one another. These rhizomes are half an inch to 
an inch thick and from the under side send down into the soil 
many large, strong fibrous roots. Each rhizome has one bud ; 
but if more it may be divided into as many parts as buds. It 
may be set from January to last of March. When once well set 
it requires a team of at least six good oxen and a very large 
strcmg plow to tear it up. It turns up in large masses of one to 
two feet across and these cannot be crushed or broken in pieces; 
and as the rhizomes are not killed by this process, the planter 
is in worse condition than if he had not plowed it and no nearer 
rid of it ; unless he piles it with immense labor with fuel inter- 
mixed or hauls it away. It is however, very easily destroyed 
by keeping cattle and other stock grazing it during spring and 
summer. It grows well in marsh, lietter on hills, best on rich, 
moist bottoms. 

Analysis of Gama grass by Mr. Peter Collier. 



Amylaceous cellulose, 20.84 

Alkali extract, 23.09 

Albuminoids, 8.62 

Ash, 5.96 

100.00 



Oil, 


1.72 


Wax, 


.68 


Sugars, 


8.84 


Gum and dextrin, 


3.66 


Cellulose, 


26.59 



114 FAIiiMKU'w liooK OF (tRAKHEK 

ANAT.YSIS OF ASH. 



Potassium, 


6.30 


Sulphuric acid. 


3.69 


Potassium oxide, 


'29.00 


Phosphoric 


acid. 


2.52 


Hoclium, 


4.77 


Silicic acid, 




37.87 


Calcium oxide, 


1.64 


Chlorine, 




13.08 


Mau-nesium oxide, 


1.07 












EmANTHrs, 


Fox -tail. 




100.00 



E. ALOPFX'UROIDES, AVoolly Beard Grass, Plume Grass. 

This o-rass grows from four to ten feet high, with panicle one 
or two feet long, pyramidal, woolly; sheaths of the rough leaves 
wooUv above. The variety Contnrhu'^ is smaller, smoother and 
lias twisted awns. The variety brevibarbis is also smooth, 
smaller, has short hairs, and hence called short haired woolly 
wrass. E. striciii>i, nearly smooth throughout and four to eight 
feet high, is found, like the others, on dry or wet lands and riv- 
er banks. They are not valuable for forage, but the first is 
quite ornamental with its graceful, large, plumose panicle. 

SoKdHTijr. 

On another page, (103) under the general head of The 3Iillet,s, 
this grass is partly considered, forming there the second divis- 
ion of millets, that of the dictionaries: Soruhum vulgare, 
Indian niilkt, great millet ; Fr. Sorgho, gros millet; Ger. Sorgsa- 
mur; It. Sagina; Sp. Moke, Ahandia. This is the Durra or 
Doura of Arai)ia, Persia, etc.; Jovaree of India ; Nagara of 
North China. It was brought from India to England in 1596, 
and to Cuba in 1824, and thence to Florida, etc. 

In our southern States, we have three native species of sor- 
o-hum, viz: 1. /S'. avenaceum, oat like sorghum ; 2. S. nutann, In- 
dian grass, wood grass, nodding sorghum ; 3. *S. .secunduin. 
These are of little value *s I'ound in sterile woodlands ; and I am 
not aware that they have ever been cultivated. 

There has been much diversity of opinion among botanists 
about the foreign species ; some contending for one species and 
many varieties; others ibr several species, each presenting va- 
rieties. The varieties are almost numberless. In a collection 
of plants sent to the Museum of Xatural History, at Paris, in 
1840, by M. d'Abadie, there werethirti/ kinds of sorghum; and 
in 1857 Mr. Wray arrived in the United States, bringing with 
him the seeds oi fifteen varieties of South African sorghum, or 
imphee. Other varieties have since been introduced. But we 
cannot recount the history or even the names of these varieties ; 
to do so would require a large book. The most noted species 
or varieties besides the S. vulgare are : 1. S. CERNiTiur, Gnin- 



A Si) Other Forage Plants. 115 

(•(I corn, with densely contracted panicle, and cultivated for the 
^■rain : 2. S. halapexse, Cuba grass, cultivated for soiling, 
grazing, and hay ; and, 3. S. sacohaeatum, sweet sorghum, 
Chinese and African sugar cane, cultivated for the juices of the 
stems and the broom corn for l)rooms. The seeds of all the va- 
rieties are valuable food. 

The H. vulf/are, great or Indian millet, has Ijcen much culti- 
vated from the earliest times in India and across to Southern 
Europe and Africa and thence extending to all countries suffi- 
ciently warm. It was and is yet used jn many countries not 
only as food for inferior animals, but also for man. It has 
Ijeen, at different times durin»; the last sixty years, extensively 
advertised for sale in various parts of the United States under 
taking names and extravagant commendation, as chocolate corn, 
doura corn, Indian millet, Chinese wheat, Oregon rice, ivory 
wheat, upland or highland rice, pampas rice, etc, 

(^uite a number of planters of Mississippi have cultivated it 
during the current and a few preceding years. All with whom 
I have conversed speak very highly of its nutritive and fatten- 
ing properties for hogs and other animals and of the large yield 
of grain. They agree also that it makes a good, wholesome 
Hour, for bread, cakes etc., while all relish it as a substitute for 
cmcked wheat. Some of our own family esteem it as verv pal- 
atable and desirable food. Of course poultry and other birds 
devour it greedily. The only trouble I have experienced with 
it is, if a small quantity only be grown, the birds devour so 
much as it matures and before ready for harvesting. 

There are many varieties of S. vulgare, but for the table, that 
with large open panicle and pearl like grains is preferable, 
while it is as valuable as any other variety for animals — in fact, 
I prefer is for them. Bearded varieties are not so much dama- 
ge ! by birds. After harvesting all are liable to be destroyed 
by the weevil. 

It may be planted in April and cut several times during the 
season. In common with other sorghums it bears drought much 
better than corn, or any of our small grain. When it heads, 
cut ofP the top, and immediately other heads shoot out from ev- 
ery joint and many new stems from the root, all which may be 
used as needed. When thus cut it centinues to renew its growth 
till frost, unless prevented by drought. In all warm countries 
it is unanimously acknowledged to yield much more than any 
other grain. 

S. eernnum seeds are used for the same purposes as those of 
S. mdgare. The leaves of both are nutritious and are eaten by 
stock. They frequently eat the entire stalk. 

The grains of the S. oaccharatum may be used also for the 
table but are not so nice as the two preceding. They are per- 
ha]>s e(|ually valuable for stock feed. The whole plant has 



116 Farmer's Book of Grasses 

been used bv some over a wide extent of our country for long;- 
er or shorter periods since 1855, as feed for horses, cattle and 
hogs. Some praise and others condemn in strong terms. All 
ao-ree that the leaves stripped off and dried like those of Indian 
corn make a fodder superior to the latter. They require more 
time to dry for obvious reasons. When the cane is ready to 
cut for rolling, the leaves are stripped and managed as those of 
corn, and the tops or heads cared for properly. Thus, much 
good forage is secured for the animals, and from fifty to two 
hundred gallons of syrup per acre for the people. 

If the cutting is succeeded by rains, there will be a second 
o-rowth for forage. Taking off such heavy ci'ops must ])roj)or- 
tionately exhaust the land. Among the first as well as last to 
plant and use the sweet sorghums for soiling and fi)dder, I 
have never, in a single instance, had any bad effect on or inju- 
ry of an animal. Where evil has resulted it must be from bad 
management. For feeding stock, the plant may be cut several 
times during the season ; and the stalks should be passed through 
a stalk-cutter. 

The S. vnlgare sometimes has a very large open panicle with 
long nodding branches ; and it varies from this form to a very 
short-branched, densely compacted, rigid, erect, club shaped 
panicle. 

S. eenmma, Guinea corn. Chicken corn, recently White 
Eo-vptian corn. This has all the variety in form of panicles as 
the preceding, differing in having the peduncle very lon^ and 
reflexed, turning the panicle so as to point directly down. 
This is the perfect character ; but often it is bent further and 
across itself; and then it varies in the other direction, so that 
panicles may be found inclined at all angles with the horizon. 
From my own study of these two so-called species, under con- 
ditions miles apart, where they could not possibly intermix. I 
am convinced that they are but one, with a natural tendency to 
return to the erect form of open panicle. Both are to be plant- 
ed and cultivated alike. Plant in rows three feet apart, drop- 
ping a few seed from twelve to twenty inches apart, using about 
four quarts clean, sound seed per acre, or drill thinly about a 
bushel. About two workings with a good cultivator will suffice 
if the ground be in good condition to begin with ; if not the 
hoe may be needed and other work. 

S. saceharatum, Imphee or African sugar cane, (S. nigrum, 
black or Chinese sugar cane being probably only a variety,) 
may be planted and treated in all respects in the same manner 
as a forage crop ; for which I prefer it very much to the varie- 
ties of Doura. The broom corn belongs to S. saceharatum, but 
is worthless for forage, except the seed which are very nutritious. 
For syrup and sugar the bent-top variety is, in my locality, 
decidedly the best, being more easily clarified and granulated. 



Anj> Other Forage Plants. 117 

yieklin<j; more and \vaitiii_<»; longvi- without (leterioi-atioii after 
ready for the niiU. 

The bent top variety ])i-odu('es more seed than the others, but 
stock do not relisii them so well ; jirobably from the head, when 
i'vil unthreshed, nudving too large a mouthful for comfortable 
niastieation and from its beingmore bitter than other varieties 
when immature or not dried. Like the bent-top Doura corUj 
tiu- pedunele has a tendency to rise up, and panicles may be 
seen at every angle with the horizon, both above and below; 
and also a tendency to change from the short branched, close 
packed, to the open, long, nodding branched j)anicle. And in 
pi'o])ortion as it assumes the latter (characters, it becomes more 
a broom or Doura corn and less a sugarcane. 

For xiu/d.)-, seeds should be carefully selected in the field. 
Stalk.s with the most compact panicle and bent peduncle should 
be selected and remain until the seed are perfectly ripe. xVfter 
removing the panicle, the stalks will still be good for sugar or 
syrup. For seed, only those stalks should be taken with 
the head turned down so far as to touch the stem below or even 
cross it. This variety requires a longer time to mature than 
the others, but it is very much larger. For syrup it should 
have more room than when |danted for forage — having rows at 
least four feet apart. 

All these sorghums send roots dowu several feet deep and 
nuike more and better syrup ou gravelly or sandy sub-soil. If 
the bagasse or stalks are returned and plowed under, the land 
is very little exhausted. 1 have seen them giown for years on 
the same thin land without fertilizers and with little sign oi 
exhaustion. 

Before dismissing the sweet Sorghums, perhaps I should state 
tliat the longer they are permitted to stand after maturity, the 
greater tendency 1 find to generate formic acid in boiling the 
juice for syrup. This tendency is decidedly greater in the bent- 
top or goose-neck variety than in any other I have tested. 
This acid, so difficult to eliminate while making the syrup, be- 
ing offensive in odor and flavor, damages syrups otherwise most* 
perfect. 

S()R(JHUM NUTANS, Indian grass, Wood grass. 

This and the two other native species, mentioned on a prece- 
ding page, are of little nutritive value as will be seen by Mr. 
Collier's 

ANALYSIS OF SORGHITM NUTANS. 



Oil, 


1.57 


Amylaceous cellulose. 


27.25 


Wax, 


.10 


Alkali extract, 


14.44 


Sugars, 


7.27 


Al!)uniinoids, 


3.29 


Gum and dextrin, 


3.75 


Ash, 


5.63 


Cellulose, 


3(J.70 


- 







100.00 



6.74 
16.84 
2.92 
1.36 
2.13 


Phosphoric arid, 
Silicic acid, 
(Jhlorinc, 


2.35 

61.00 

6.1 1 


100.00 



118 FAR^NfEu's Book of Grasses 

ANALYSIS OF ASH. 

Potassiuin, 
Potassium oxide, 
Calcium oxide, 
Magnesium oxide, 
Sulphuric acid, 

This plant rang'cs from 3 to 6 high including the pani- 
cle one or two feet long. The other two species are smaller. 
Although Mr, Collier says: "This grass has not usually been 
considered of much agricultural value, but it forms an import- 
ant part of the native grass of the western prairies, and if cut 
earlv, forms good and nutritious hay," it can be substituted, 
even in the poorest sandy soils where it grows, by better grasses. 
It, like the a)i(lropo(jon^ or broom grasses, is remarkable rather 
for the snuill quantity of solul)le nutritive matter and the ex- 
traordinary quantity of silicic acid it contains. 

Sor.GHUM HALAPENSE, Johnson Grass. 

This has been called Cuba grass, Guinea grass, >]gyptian 
grass, Means grass, Alabama Guinea grass etc. 

It seems pretty well agreed now however, to call this John- 
son 2:rass and leave the name Guinea grass for the Pankutn 
jumentorum, to which it properly belongs. (See pp. 98-100). 
It is true that in Mr. Howard's pamphlet, as well as in many 
periodicals and books and in letters and common usage this 
grass has been far more generally called Guinea gras.s than tlie 
true Guinea grass itself, thus causing vast confusion. It is 
therefore assuredly time to call each by its right name. Joim- 
son grass is perennial and has cane-like roots or more properly 
underground stems from the size of a goose quill to that of the 
little finger. These roots are, tender, and hogs are fond of, and 
thrive on them in winter. The roots litteval- 
Iv fill the ground near the surface and every joint is capable of 
developing a bud. Hence the grass is very readily proj)agate(l 
/rom root cuttings. It is also propagated from the seed, but 
not always so certainly ; for in some localities many faulty seeds 
are produced, and in other places no seed are matured. Before 
sowing the seed, therefore, they suould be tested, as should all 
grass seeds indeed, in order to know what proportion will ger- 
minate, and thus vv^hat quantity per acre to sow. One bushel 
of a good sample of this seed is sufficient for one acre of land. 

The leaf, stalk and panicle of this grass resemble those of 
other sorghums. It grows on any land where corn will grow ; and 
like the latter, the better the land, the heavier the crop. On 
rich land the culms attain a size of over half an iich in diame- 
ter and a height of seven feet. It should be cut while tender; 
and then all live stock are fond of it ; for a few weeks are suffi- 



And Other Forage Plants. 



119 



cicnt to render it so coarse and hard that animals refuse it, or 
eat sparingly. 

This plant is much more nutritious than the true Guinea 
grass as will be seen bv comparing the analyses of the two made 
by Mr. C\>llier. 

ANALYSIS OF SOTtOHT M llALAPENSEi 



Oil, 


2.25 


Amylaceous ce i 1 u lose, 


25.87 


Wax, 


.61 


Alkali extract, 


15.58 


Sugars, 


7.37 


Albuminoids, 


13.18 


Gum and dextrin. 


6.14 


Ash, 


4.85 


Cellulose, 


20.15 







100.00 



ANALYSIS OF ASH. 



Potassium, 


3.68 


Sulphuric acid. 


2.96 


Potassium oxide. 


35.72 


Phosphoric acid. 


10.44 


Sodium, 


.81 


Silicic acid. 


22.21 


Calcium oxide, 


1 2.87 


Chlorine, 


4.58 


Mati'nesium oxide. 


(5.73 







100.00 

A few testimonials are here quoted to give an idea of the pro- 
ductiveness and value of this pla^t. I" a letter published in 
the Rural Carolinian for 1874, Mr. N. B. Moore, who had for 
more than forty years grown only grass crops, speaks of this 
grass under the name of Guinea grass. He says he jirefers it to 
all others after having faithfully tried many. "It is perennial, 
is as nutritious as any other; when once well set, is difficult 
to eradicate ; will grow on ordinary land and yields abundantly, 

"My meadow consists of one hundred acres of alluvial land, 
near Augusla. ... In winter I employ but four men, who are 
enough to work my packing press; in summer when harvesting, 
double that number. In autumn, I usually scarify both ways with 
sliarp, steel-toothed harrows, and sow over the stubble a peek 
of red clover per acre, which, with volunteer vetches, comes oif 
about the middle of May. The second yield of clover is uni- 
formly eaten up by grasshoppers. The tap-root remains to fer- 
tilize the then coming Guinea grass, which should be cut from 

two to three feet higli On such land as mine, it will afford 

three or four cuttings if the season is proj)itious. I use an av- 
erage of five tons of gypsum soon after the first cutting, and 
about the same quantity of the best commercial fertilizers in 
Marcli or April. . . . The grass which is cut before noon, is put 
up with horse sulky rakes, in cocks, before sundown." 

]\Ir. Moore's income from this field was from seven thousand 
to ten thousand dollars a year. 

Mr. Goelzelof Mo])ile says, "It is undoubtedly the most]n-of- 



120 FAUMKit'.s Ijook OK Grasses 

itiihle .soiling' })lant yet introduced, and also promises to he the 
phini for our southern hay stacks, jn'ovided it can he cut every 
three or foui- ^^ei'ks." 

In the Ivural C'arohnian for 1874, Mr. .John J. DehVliamjies 
furnishes the fdhjwing facts and figures : 

"I herewith make out a remmw of the several cuttings of 
Guinea ^/■Cf.s.s made hy me last year, . . . The cuttings were made 
from one square yard of land accurately measured, and it was a 
lair average of the entire plot in grass. 

1st cutting May 16th, weight of dry hay 19th., 2 Ihs. H oz. 

2nd cutting June IGth, weight of dry hay 2ord., 1 Ih 

ord cutting July 17th, weight of dry hay 20th., 1 7f 

4th cutting August ISth, weight of dry liay oOth, 

(ruined l)y rain), S 

1st Septemher, cut hy a friend througli mistake without 
weighing. 

5di cutting ()(;Lol)t'r 1st, weight of dry hay Sth., 10 

Total , () ;3i 

'•Reckoning the acre at 4,840 S(juare yards, for convenience, 
the result is over fifteen tons of dry hay per acre', twelve (hiys' 
growth heing lost l)y an aceitlent, and the season not a favora- 
])le one. 

"J dug the roots from the same scjuare yard of ground in Jan- 
uary and tlu' weight was 2 Ihs., 10 oz., ecjual to ().45 tons per 
acre. Hogs devour these roots as eagerly as they do sweet ]X)- 
tatoes. Six and a half tons of hog feed and fifteen tons of 
good hay I should regard as a very gootl result from one acre 
of land. It may be well to add tliat on the square yard ol' 
ground frt)ni which I dug the roots, the grass is as thick now 
as on any other part of the plot." 

Two jjounds and a half of dry hay [)er square yard shows Mr. 
D>lcham[)i's' first cutting to have given him 12,000 jxninds. 
^^'ell mav another writer exclaim : "Jf you want grass — a gi-ass 
— ///(■ grass — and have rich land — this is just the thing to fill 
the hill." 

If a farmer want his land for other crops, he should not plant 
this grass. But if he want a grass field to continue indefinitelv 
and to yield heavy crops year after year without resetting this 
is the best thing he can plant. 

W ith tlie ground rich and in good condition and M^arm, a 
bushel of good seed broadcast in Aj)ril will take possession and 
keep down other plants. Without these conditions, the seed 
shoidd be sown in drills sufficiently far apart to admit of culti- 
vation once or twice. Or if roots be used, the pieces should he 
placed one or two feet apart in the rows, and the latter two leet 
apart, so as to allow cultivation. In either case the plants will 
soon have and hold possession. The seed niay be sown also in 
August or September. 



And Other Forage Plants. 121 

In south-west Mississippi where this grass was planted more 
than fifty years ago, where the fields were vacated during and 
after the civil war, it disappeared, except in spots inac- 
cessible to stock. It shows little tendency to spread much, and 
some planters of longest experience, consider it not very 
troublesome in cultivated fields. Poor cultivation, however, 
only spreads and multiplies it. 

Since writing this account of Johnson Grass, the fi)ll()wing 
letter has been received : 

Alabama Hay Farms, ] 

Marion Junction, Dallis Co. Ala., \- 
July 20th, 1880. j 
D. L. Phares, Esq., 

My Dear Sir : — Your favor of the 2d inst., asking me to 
write you my experience with, and knoAvledge of the Johnson 
Grass,, came duly to hand. It gives me pleasure to respond to 
your wishes, and through your proposed work on Grasses, to 
give the farmers of the United States, a knowledge of this grass 
which I consider stands at' the head of the list of grasses for this 
country, especially the southern part of it. After an experience 
of five years in raising it and shipping the hay made from it, my 
earliest opinion of it is more than confirmed, its value as both 
a grazing and hay grass not being equaled by any other in this 
country. It belongs to the Sorghum family, bearing a close re- 
semblance to chicken corn in its stalk and seed. It is perennial, 
of rapid growth, containing much saccharine matter, very nutri- 
tious and eagerly sought after by stock of all kinds. 

It is not a new grass as supposed by many, l^ut only of late 
years made available as a grass for hay. It has been upon this 
farm, (the Johnson place) for nearly forty years. The most re- 
liable history I can obtain of it is this : Gov. Means of South 
Carolina obtained some of the seed from Turkey as early as 1835 
where it was called Uuinea grass. He planted it on his planta- 
tion, where it is still called Means grass. In 1840 or 45, Wm. 
Johnson of this place being in South Carolina, brought some of 
the seed with him and sowed upon his farm here, whence it de- 
rived the name of Johnson grass, by which it is now most com- 
monly known. The botanical name is Sorghum halapense, 
while the Guinea grass grown in Jamaica is known as Panicum 
jumentorum. 

The Johnson grass is of rapid growth, springs up early in the 
spring, and continues growing until frost, being less affected by 
drought than other grasses. It is propagated by both roots and 
seed, the former penetrating to the depth of three or four feet, 
reaching the moisture, which is so essential for gi-ass culture. 
On good soil the yield is from one to two tons to the acre and 
can be cut three times during the summer. With fertilizing, 
the yield could be largely increased, and one more cutting per 



l2"J Fai;mkr's BnoK f)F (trasses 

unimui. On this place I sowed this season a eroj) (^foats, whieh 
but for the rust coukl liave been eut in -lune. I liavc; already 
cut from a ])ortion two crops of hay and will cut another in 
Sept., making f )ur crops from same ground in one summer. 

The proper time for cutting for hay is just as the grass comes 
into bloom, when 24 to oO inches high. If left to grow largiM- 
it becomes woody, and not so good for hay. 

The usual ([uantity sown to the acre, is one bushel sown in 
September or October, or early spring, when sown in the early 
fall, it gets good root and will give two good cuttings the first 
season. The rit-her the S()il the greater the yield. While grass 
mav be enemy to cotton raising, it has proved to be much m<tre 
profitable than cotton. Jt is not as hard to get rid of as manv 
suppose. A neighbor here in August and Septeiuber, 1878, 
broke u]) some 15 a(;res which he has for two years suecessfu-llv 
planted in ccjtton, with no trouble from the grass. 

Thousands of acres of land are yearly lying idle, which are worn 
out for cotton and corn, containing all the essentials for a crop 
of grass or grain. A field often acres of this grass wouhl keep 
the work stock in excellent condition, and save largely in the 
consumption (tf corn. 

If one half (»f the land now in cotton were in grass, more 
money could be made than is no\v luade in cotton. The value 
of grass culture is well stated in the old English j)roverb, "no 
grass, no cattle; no cattle, no manure ; n^ manure, no grass." 
No better stock country than the south can be found, taking all 
things into consideration; where one kind of grass may fail, 
there are others which will succeed. In this Johnson grass, a 
kind Providence has given the south a mine of wealth, which 
conld easily he made a foundation for wealth and prosj)erity such 
as the south has never seen. 

It may not be out of place here to call attention to the inun- 
ner of putting in grasses. Frecpiently the seeds are sown too 
deeplv, thereby losing the seed aud blaming the seedsman. Ex- 
perience shows the necessity of plowing the ground thoroughly. 
Then with a good harrow pulverize the soil, making a good 
seed bed. Sow one bushel of Johnson grass seed per acre, and 
brush it in, covering lightly. If preferable use a roller which 
will not cover as deeply perhaps, as a brush. The roller also 
prepares the ground for the mower. 

Experience tells me that I cannot too highly reccommend the 
Johnson grass. * '^ * 

I am truly yours,_ 

HerbI'IRt Post. 

Mr. Post does not overdraw the vield or value of this orass. 



AndOtHKR PoRACilO Plax'I'.s. 128 

Jiy scarityiiiiti' :ui(l ajiplyin*;' fortilizei-s his crops would hv very 
iiuK'li hcavici-. liiit ii(M-li:i]>s not so rlioicc tVoiii hcini;; coarser. 

1m ■( H lAK N A ij ' \ ( R I A Ns, Toosint e. or Guatcnia la Grass. 
Within a few years this large and very beautitnl tropical 
o^rass has been introduced into the south of France, tiie Roval 
(hardens, Rew, England, and thence into the East and West 
Indies, Australia, Tropical and South Africa, Cyprus, the Ba- 
hamas elc., and later into various parts of the F^nited States. 

Jt is specially interestino- as allied to, and in some respects 
closely rcsemhlint;- Indian c(n-n. Jt lias the nude flowers in a 
tassel at the t(»p ol' the stalk, and pistillate at the joints like 
corn, the latter, or ihc seed inclosed in a loose involucre and ar- 
ranged on a slendei spike, as we sometimes see also in the In- 
dian corn ; thoutih the now recognized normal arrangement of the 
latter seems to he in lines on a col) as though the many single 
slender spikes were consolidated into a large compound one ; 
yet so often foun<l xariously forked or branched and nianv 
spiked (and we have seen one varietv witli every grain encdosed 
in its own separate shuck or husk'), as to suggest a tendencv lo 
return to an earlier arrangeinent more in iiarmonv with teosinte. 
It tillers enormously: and in one or more varieties of Indian 
corn we iind a decidedly singular tendencv. thougli no( so 
stronglv manifested. 

it has many large blades and the stalks grow from six to fif- 
teen feet high. Experiments made by the chemist of the Dept. 
()!" Agriculture sh(»w that the stalks contain a large fjuantitv of 
sugar. 

Prof. ^Vsa Gray, in the American Agriculturist for August, 
1880, speaking of this plant, writes: "'Phe Director of the Bo- 
tanic Garden and Government Plantations at Adelaide, S. Aus- 
tralia, reports favorably of this strong growing, corn-like forage 
plant, the Eaclikrud fuxurian.^ ; that the prevailing dryness did 
not injure the plants, which preserved their healthy green, 
while the l)lades of the other grasses suffered materially. The 
h;ibit ot throwing out young shoots is remarkable, (JO or 80 ri- 
sing to a height of 5 or 6 feet. Further north, at Palmerston, 
(nearer the equator), in the course of 5 or () months, the plant 
i-eached the height of twelve to fourteen feet, and the stems on 
one plant numbered oQ. The plants, after mowing down, grew 
again several feet in a few days. The cattle delight in it in a 
fresh state; also when dry. Undoubtedly there is not a more 
prolific forage plant known ; but, as it is essentially tropical in 
its habits, this luxuriant growth is found in tropical or subtrop- 
ical clinuites. The chief drawback to its culture with us will 
be that the ripening of the seed crop will be problematical, as 
earlv frosts will kill the plant. To make the Teosinte a most 
useful plant in Texas and along our whole sonth-western bor- 



124 Far:\[er's Book of Grasses 

(ler, the one thing needful is to devehjp early flowering varie- 
ties, so as to get seed before frost. And this could be done 
without doubt, if some one in Texas or Florida would set about 
it. What it has taken ages to do in the case of Indian corn, in 
an unconcious way, might be mainly done in a human life-time 
by rightly directed care and vigorous selection. Who is the 
man who is going to make millions of blades of grass grow 
where none of any account ever grew ))efore ? " 

In the southern cultivator for October, 1879, a writer from 
Milledgeville, Ga., under date of Sept. 7th., 1879, says that 
from a few seeds planted March 20th. he saved one plant, ^'diich 
"from a small, almost triangular seed has developed a plant now 
9 feet high and 4 feet in diameter, with something over 80 
stalks, and which no cow in the State could consume at a sin- 
gle meal. It tillers from the very start, spreading horizontally 
for some weeks before beginning a perpendicular growtli." It 
showed no signs of blooming; and six plants obtained from seed 
planted in June would not attain one-third the size of this by 
frost. 

On 16th. July, 1880, Mr. A. Wikas at the Menelas form, 
Brookhaven, Miss., writes me: "We planted in March, April 
and May, 2 and 3 feet apart each way in hills, and it grows 
equally well. The leaves resemble very much those of corn, 
and while at first it comes only a stalk, it shoots afterwards and 
multiplies from 25 to 50. We think it can be cut 3 or 4 times 
when 2| to 3 feet high. We planted the first on the 5th. of 
March and although it is now about 6 feet high, yet there is no 
sign of blooming." 

A part of this crop was not cut ; but after blooming, when 12 
to 15 feet high, was killed by frost. It was in this condition 
when I saw it. The stems were as large as those nf maize, 
blades and tassel all so like those of latter that the one plant 
might be easily mistaken for the other. I am convinced that 
seeds of the teosinte can be matured in parts of Texas and Flor- 
ida and also with little protection, in south Mississippi, Louisi- 
ana and Alabama. It has a large number of large, long, strong 
fibrous roots penetrating the soil deeply, 

On land well adapted to it, I think it would not be difficult 
to produce one hundred tons per acre. And as it contains a 
large per centage of sugar besides other nutrients, it may be 
made one of the very best, most profitable and desirable crops 
in the southern States for ensilage. 

Zea. 

Z. Mays. Indian Corn, Maize. Well may this plant be call- 
ed zea, Life ; since it has become so essential and so large an 
element in sustaining the lives of men^ beasts and birds, domes- 



Am) Other Forage Plants. 125 

ticatod and wild, besides hosts of inseets feeding on the roots, 
stem, ])ith, leaves, blossoms and seed green and ripe. Where 
can another plant be found feeding and keeping alive such a 
number of genera, species, tribes and hosts of living creatures? 

Annually it is adapting itself to other localities and seems 
destined to become almost cosmopolitan and thus the "staif of 
life" to numerous other tribes of living Ix'ings!! Yet what 
countless millions of dollars are annually sent from Europe and 
from our own southern States for the purchase of this cheap sup- 
porter of life !!! What the depth of dependence and poverty in- 
to which the southern States are voluntarily plunging them- 
selves, by skimming away the essence of the soil and pouring 
their hard earnings in golden streams into the coffers of the 
western corn growers ! 

The varieties of corn almost numberless adapting it to all 
soils and many climates and to many special purposes, and the 
modes of culture are so varied by differences of soil, climate and 
objects, that our space will not admit of their discussion. Nor 
can we. consider in detail the valuable medicines furnished by 
this plant, utu* the virulent })oisons develojied upon and from 
the grain. 

Whether corn be planted for the grain or for fodder, in rows, 
drilled, checks or broadcast, th*^ land should first be broken 
very deeply, but without turning up much clay. It should 
have repeated plowings and harrowings if necessary to put the 
ground in a light, mellow condition. Planted on land so pre- 
pared, a crop may be made almost without any rain ; each stalk, 
not too much crowded, throwing out innumerable fibrous roots 
with an aggregate length of many thousand feet, and (where un- 
der the well prepared soil the sub-soil can be penetrated) to a 
depth of several feet beyond that generally imagined. 

In one neighborhood this year, (1881), a crop of corn planted 
on very old land prepared as above described has yielded four 
times as much as any other in the whole region. This was 
planted later than other fields and never had rain to lay the 
dust ; while others having an earlier start and some of them 
plenty of rain have yielded very little. Most of the labor re- 
quired for making a good crop of corn on old land in the south, 
should be expended before planting. With such preparation 
the plants grow rapidly and need much less work; and often 
make a large yield Avith no labor after planting. Employing 
this mode of preparation, since 1851, I am convinced that in 
most parts of the south a fair corn crop can be made every year 
whether there be rain or not, on clay soils. 

No other plant is so much and so generally used in the south- 
ern States for forage — avast number of planters depending sole- 
Iv upon corn, stalk, blade, husk, (or shuck), grain and even cob; 



I'iG FAn.^fKU^s Rook OF GrassivS . 

all containing- much nntrition. The fodder of blades and the 
cars are very convenient for feeding, and the green plant is one 
of the best for ensilage. 

Coix. 

C. ]>iA('UY.MA, Jol/s Tears, Corn Beads. 

This [>lant is cultivated to a limited extent; but it has no 
agricultural value, notwithstanding its branching: stems and 
broad leaves. Its fruit is interesting, consisting of a fertile 
spikelet enclosed in a consolidated involucre which l)ecomes os- 
sified, very liaid, polished and perforated so as to be used for 
beads. And this is about the only use found for it; for these 
beads are too Ifuiu'- (ti- horn-like and indigestible to serve as food. 

CHAPTER X. 



A few other forage plants, omitted in their regular order as 
little cultivated in the southern States, yet too important to ig- 
nore wholly, are briefly mentioned here. The several species of 
nuistard, {Sinapis), are worthy of some care as stock-food. The 
several species of BraKsica with its many varieties of turnips, 
cale, ruta-baga, cal)bage, cauliflower, broccoli etc. are very val- 
uable, as are also the various l)eets and magelwurtzels. The 
leaves of all these plants are relished by live stock as are also 
th(^ fleshy roots. Thej" are valuable at all times but especially 
in the winter, when succulent food is so much needed by live 
stock. Immense crops of these fleshy roots may be produced 
on a single aci'<' of land and they are not difficult to ])reserve 
during winter. 

Cotton Sekd. 

This one of the most vahiable of nutrients produced on any 
farm, demands a ])aragraj)li. It is very valuable in the crude 
state as it falls from the gin-stand, for feeding cows, sheep and 
swine. Five or ten cents worth with a little hay or grazing 
will keep a large sheep in fine condition ail winter. A few 
serve to keep hogs in good condition at all times. 

In feeding they should be scattered thinly on the ground or 
mixed with other feed to prevent the animal taking too large 
quantity in the mouth and endangering choking. They may be 
wetted, and better boiled for hogs ; but never rotted. Mules 
S()metimes take to them and continue in good condition. De- 



And Other Forage Plants. 127 

corticated, they are still better for all animals. The cake after 
expressing the oil is not surpassed as a feed for sheep, hogs, cat- 
tle, horses and mules, by any thing else. Being concentrated 
food it must be fed with discretion and mixed with abundance 
of coarser foods as grasses, hays and matters containing little 
nutrition. It is far more valuable than Indian corn. 

(H AFTER XI. 



It had long been believed both North and South that the "ar- 
tilicial" or cultivated grasses and clovers could not be induced 
to grow here. There never was a greater mistake; for most of 
t!iem grow spontaneously in the South where partially protect- 
ed, and some of them without any protection against stock. It 
has been to the interest of western farmers to teach that 
the grasses could not be grown here. The ill success of many 
southern planters in their feel)le attempts to grow them confirm- 
ed the opinion. Xoav, many of these men did not deserve suc- 
cess. The plow is started and the sod set up edgewise like the 
iblds of a palm leaf. The seeds (very small, some of them al- 
most microscopic), are sown and a harrow run over the ground. 
IMost of the seed ai'e covered too deep to ever germinat<;. The 
lew that sprout, find it difficult to live among the clods and fi- 
nally die out ; smothered i)y weeds on the richer spots and 
starved on the p(^rer. 

Freparatkjn ()1 the Land. 

Xo one should plant grasses and clovers, unless he determines 
to do it right. The ground must be plowed and harrowed, and 
th(! process repeated as many times as may be necessary to put 
tlic surface and sub-soil in proper condition. The subsoil should 
he broken and loosened ; the deeper the better, but not turned 
ii/i, The surface of the ground should be finely comminuted 
and smoothed. If too light, the roller should be used for com- 
pacting. When the ground is properly prepared, it should be 
very lightlv marked off in lands of such width as may be con- 
venient to sow. For an acre so laid off, take the proper quanti- 
ty of seed, divide into as many parcels as lands : then sub-di- 
\"ide each parcel into two equal parts. With one of the smaller 
])arcels, proceed from one end to the other of the land, sowing ; 
then returning over the same land, sow the other half; and so 
on throughout the entire field. ■ Thus an equal distribution of 
seed may be effected and an even stand of plants obtained. 



128 Faemer's Book of Grasses 

Grass seed should never be sown while the vind blows ; but 
if this cannot be avoided, the next best thii.g to do, is to travel 
with the wind in sowing. But even this can never give an 
even or tolerably satisfactory distribution of seed. 

After sowing the seed never use harrow, or brush or other de- 
vice, for covering. In some cases the roller may be used ; but 
it is seldom needed. I have tried all the methods ; and I have 
had best success by.leaving the seed to be beaten in sufficiently 
by rain. My best success with blue grass has been on unbroken 
ground, the leaves only raked away and leaving a rather smooth 
surface. „ 

Once I burned ofi leaves and trasli from a wooded lot and 
immediately sowed blue grass seed in March. Thev came up 
very promptly ; and in a few months the grass had* attained a 
larger growth than I had ever before seen at two years old. 

SIZE OF SEEDS AND DEPTH OF OOVEKINO. 

In order to understand clearly the danger of harrowing in 
grass seeds, let a few things be considered touching some of the 
best known forage plants. Red cJover has 256,000 seed to the 
pound, English blue grass or meadow fescue 400,000 and Tall 
oat grass 340,000; these small seeds germinate badly if buried 
deeper than a half inch in the lightest, fine soil. White clover 
with 500,000 seed to the pound, and Orchard grass with 
640,000 find it difficult to get up M'hen covered one-fourth of 
an inch. What then shall be the depth of covering for Timo- 
thy seed of 1,184,000 to the pound, Soft meadow, or velvet 
grass with 1,500,000, Red top with 6,800,0(JI) and White top 
with 8,000,000 seeds to the pound ? From these statements • 
the utility — the necessity of the roller preceding on loose soil 
the sowing of light, minute seeds will at once be appreciated, 
as also the danger of harrow or brush after sowing. With a 
heavy, badly prepared soil the danger fi-om the harrow is niuch 
enhanced ; for covering these seeds one-fourth or one-half inch 
deeper than above mentioned the l)ulk of them never germin- 
ate. The failuies from too deej) covering are frequent and lead 
to unjust suspicions and charges against seedsmen. 

THE Ti:\IE TO sow 

must be determined by each one's OAvn judgement. The or- 
chard, red top, blue, timothy, velvet and Italian rye grasses 
may be sown any time from the first of September till the 
middle of March with success, or again with total failure. 
Each must be governed as to time of sowing by telluric and at- 
mospheric conditions. It is worse than useless to sow on a 
parched ground, or during a drought. If the ground be moist 



And Other Forage Plants. 129 

from tlie surface down to perpetual moisture, and there be a 
reasonable prospect of its continuing- so by rains or otherwise 
long enough for the seeds to germinate and take root, sow ; the 
earlier the better. T have succeeded in all the months indicated. 
But as I expected, I had some failures — not so many however, 
as I was prepared to expect. If one carefully observe these di- 
rections, he will rarely be disappointed in results. 

In order to have a good crop the hr.<?t year, it isimj)ortaut to 
sow in the fall, if the j)roper conditions concur; and especially 
so for the velvet and rye grasses. By autumnal sowing, too, 
one can have opportunity of seeding in January, February or 
March, any spots on which there may be a defective catch. 

All that I have said in regard to ])re))aration of ground, times 
and mode of sowing is e(pially applicable to the Medieagos, Mel- 
ilots and Trifoliums, or tiie clover family; except tiiat lucerne 
succeeds better by sowing in drills twelve or fifteen inches apart, 
so that it can be cultivated the first year. It is diflicult to suc- 
ceed in any other way with lucerne. All these seeds can be 
sown satisfactorily only when the air is motionless. For sow- 
ing all grass and clover seeds, small grain of all kinds, peas, etc., 
broadcast, Pearce's improved Gaboon hand sower is a most ad- 
mirable implement, very cheaj), the work light and expeditious. 
It is fully what it professes to be. For sowing very large areas 
horse machines may be used. 

The various millets and other larger grains should be harrow- 
ed or rolled, or both after sowing ; the preceding paragraphs 
having reference only to the smaller seeds, which often sink too 
deep in loose land to get out even when not haTro\\cd. 

FOR AN OKCHARI) 

I know no better combination than red clover and orchard 
grass. Both fertilize and otherwise improve the land. The 
seeds of timothy or clover should 

NOT BE MIXED 

with those of grasses before sowing. While sowing, tlie heavy, 
smooth clover seeds will accumulate at the bottom of the con- 
tainer and the lighter grass seeds rise to the top, so that parts of 
the field will show only grass and other parts clover alone. If 
possible to keep them mixed in the bag, the same cast will scat- 
ter the clover seed over ten times more surftice than the grass 
seed can be made to reach. Seeds of different specific gravity, 
size or smoothness, should not be mixed together for sowing ; 
but first one sown, then another. 

TO KEEP DOWN AVEEDS 

in an orchard use the mower as often as necessary, turn in calves 
and sheep whenever proper, and pigs during fruit season. 
Calves and sheep destroy young or. small tiK3es and must not 



130 Farmer's Book of Grasses 

have access to them. These animals are about the best exter- 
minators of briers, cane and underbrush. Old hogs sometimes 
destroy small fruit trees especially the plum, by tearing- the bark 
with their teeth in shaking oif the frnit. 

WHAT ARE THE BEST GRASSES FOR WINTER PASTURES ? 

This depends on whether the pasture is for one season, 
or to be permanent, as well as on location, soil, drainage, etc. 
For a single winter, the testimony, so far as known to me, is 
unanimous in strong commendation of our native wild brome 
grass, (Bromus unioloides). Many however, speak from a 
single experiment, and with little or no knowledge of other 
grasses. So that we must accept these statements Avith dne re- 
serve and caution. Two winters it gave me luxuriant, tender 
grazing from October till April or May ; but next winter it was 
three months later, not coming up till November, and not ready 
for grazing till the middle of January. Others inforjn me that 
seed grc)wn here do not germinate till November, and that for 
earlv fall pastures, seed must be imported annually from South- 
ern Europe. But this I know is not necessarily so ; for it is in- 
di(»-enous in our southern States, and I have seen good grazing 
early in October from native seed. It depends on character of 
the season. 

Several other i)lants furnish good winter pasture, but none 
are so valuable as barley. I have year after year sown wheat, 
oats, rye barley, etc., side by side, for winter pasture ; and 20 
years ago 1 reached the conclusion, that barley was 'more valuable 
than all others. It afibrds grazing earlier, more abundantly, 
grows sooner and more rapidly after being grazed down, is more 
relished by stock and more wholesome. It does not lie on the 
ground like rye, but stands up ; so that stock tat less saiid, dirt 
and other unwholesome matters in grazing it. With me, when 
all other kinds of grain were destroyed by rust, it was never af- 
fected by that or any other disease, or contingency of weather. 
It is gratifying to see in the Southern Cultivator, from the 
pen of its experienced, cautious and very able editor, a like es- 
timate of the value of barley for winter pasture ; sown in Au- 
gust or September, it afibrds good grazing from 0(!tober till 
May. If stock are taken off in March, a good crop of seed may 
be harvested ; or if not all desired for seed, swine may be turn- 
ed on it, and for a month or two, probably nothing could bene- 
fit them mcn-e. Sow three bushels per acre. 

FOR PERMANENT PASTURES, 

a mixture is necessary, and a few mixtures are here given as 
samples; but they may be much varied : 



iVND Other Fokage Plants. 131 

1. On marshy lands; Red top 6 lbs., Tall Ibscue 8, Fowl 
meadow 10, Rough stalked meadow 7, Reed Canaiy 4, White 
clover b, and jirobahly our native Canary. 

2. For rich dry creek bottom or cotton land ; Orchard 8, 
Meadow fescue 3, Hard fescue 4, Perennial rye grass 7, Italian 
rye grass 5, Tall oat grass 4, Yellow oat grass 3, Sweet scented 
vernal 3, Rough stalked raeado^'^ 3, Red clover 3, White clover 

3, Blue grass 4. 

3. On hill side, and sjiecially if sandy or gravelly; Orchard 
8, Sweet scented vernal 12, Tall oat grass 7, DoM^ny oat grass 5, 
Yellow oat grass 6, Hard fescue 5, Red top 10. 

4. For loamy hill top or table land ; Orchard 8, Kentucky 
blue grass 5, Meadow fescue 3, Perennial rye grass 5, Italian 
rye grass 5, Red top 2, Tall oat grass 3, Sweet scented vernal 3, 
Red clover 4, White clover 5. 

5. For open woods with good soil ; Kentucky blue grass 5, 
Orchard 8, Hard fescue 5, Nodding fescue 5, Rough stalked 
meadow 5, Wood meadow 5, Sweet scented vernal 3, Red clover 

4, White clover 4. 

6. Another mixture for woodlands may consist of several 
species of fescue, each 4, Tall oat grass 4, Yellow oat grass 5, 
Terrell grass 8, Blue grass 5, Orchard grass 7 pounds. 

To no. 1, barn yard grass, (Panicum Crus-Galli), may be ad- 
ded also Panicum agrostoidesand proliferum. To nos. 2, 3 and 
4, native Paspalums found all over the southern States, very 
hardy, very nutritious, very toothsome to stock throughout 
summer may well be added. 

One of the very best of naturalized grasses, both for pasture 
and meadow is the Bermuda. It would do well on any good 
laud, not marshy. I have seen Red and White clovers do well 
among it; and possibly some of the grasses named above might 
do equally as well, such as the oat grasses, red top, or wild brome. 
The quantities given in above mixtures are for a single acre, and 
may seem large, but to obtain good pastures, heavy seeding is 
absolutely necessary, though expensive. These mixtures, too, 
are arranged with a view to a variety and succession of grasses 
throughout the. entire year for grazing. 

We have many very valuable natural pastures or commons 
well set with Eleusine, Dactyloctenium, Panicum sanguinale, 
anceps and others, Paspalum pnecox, lave, undulatum and oth- 
ers, Sporobolus, Cynodon, Muhlenbergias, Andropogons and 
other grasses, Corices, etc., affording good natural grazing most 
of the year. 

dp:fective seeds 

render heavy seeding necessary — sometimes from ten to ninety 
per cent, of the seeds purchased failing to germinate. It is well 
to test every lot of seed before solving, to ascertain what per 



1-.32 Farmer's JiooK of GRxVsses 

centage will gernunate, and to sow accordingly. And as seed- 
ing a large farm is ''^ery expensive, with bought seeds, it is a good 
})lan to have separate lots, each with picked seed of a single 
grass, for the purpose of propagating such sound seeds as we 
may wish for mixtures or other purposes. Thus a large area 
may in a few years be satisfactorily set in grasses at moderate 
cost. Grass seeds should be carefully examined and test^-d be- 
fore planting for another reason ; viz : they are often mixed 
with seeds of undesirable and pernicious plants. Sometimes 
they are manufactured of wood and other materials and colored; 
or old worthless seeds are colored to resemble the fresh or new 
seeds. 

MEADOWS. 

The reniarks made (tn Bermuda grass, Johnson grass. Tall 
oat grass, Orchard grass and Red clover, I trust will suffice for 
this head. The paspalums are also good meadow grasses that 
re-seed the land annually. I have seen a valuable meadow of 
these grasses alone mown for a series of years. The grass both 
green and dry; is much relished by stock, and very nutritious. 
(See pages 86-88). 

CHAPTER XII. 

The Siio ttitd Enseiftffe, 



It is but a few years since the advent, of these two words in- 
to American agricultural literature, yet to-day a work on For- 
a"-e Plants would be deemed incomplete without some mention 
of them. Silo is properly a pit though now sometimes con- 
structed partly, sometimes wholly above ground. Ensilage is 
the process of preparing and preserving green forage en silo, 
that is by ensilaging or empitting. The word is used to desig- 
nate also the forage itself so prepared. 

THE PROCESS. 

Maize, being most frequently used for making ensilage, may 
be conveniently taken to illustrate the process. At a pi-oper 
stage of growth the whole plants are cut near the ground, haul- 
ed to the silo, cut into short })ieces, throw^ned into the pit and 
tramped down by men as thrown in. This process is contin- 
ued till the pit is filled and the cut forage piled and tramped 
far above the top of the silo. Then it is covered and heavy 
weights placed on top — 100 to 200 pounds per square foot. It 
soon shrinks about one-third to one-half and if rightly managed 



Am)0;;!kr Forage Plants. 133 

till all is witjiin the silo. The covering and pit must be as near- 
ly air tight as practicable. This is in few words the whole pro- 
cess of making ensilage. 

THE SILO. 

This may be dug in the level ground, or in the side of a hill, 
and should be as near as possible to the stalls where the forage 
is to be used — best under the same roof to prevent exposure of 
stock and men when feeding in inclement weather and to save 
carriage. In rock and some clays, the silo will need no lining; 
but in most places, the sides and bottom should be cemented, 
or lined with plank, or walled up with stone or brick. Or it 
may be made only partly under ground, or even wholly above 
by raising walls sufficiently thick of brick, stone or concrete. 
If above ground the walls should be thick and strong, well 
braced and banked with earth. The size will depend upon the 
wishes of the farmer and may be readily calculated by any one. 
Well prepared ensilage will weigh about 45 pounds to the cubic 
foot, or about 56 pounds to the bushel ; equal to about 80 bush- 
els for every 100 cubic feet. So that a silo ten feet deep, 10 
feet wide and 10 feet long will hold 45,000 pounds or 22^ tons 
or 803 bushels. Every foot of length then of such a silo will 
contain 80 bushels or 2^ tons of matured ensilage. The num- 
ber of bushels any silo contains may be easily found by obtain- 
ing the number of cubic feet and deducting therefrom one-fifth; 
the remainder denotes the number of bushels. Thus, if a silo 
contain 1,000 cubic feet it holds 800 bushels; if 70 cubic feet 
56 bushels. The silo may be constructed of logs with the 
spaces well chinked with clays or it may be made as the house 
described for sweet potatoes on page 28. But these methods 
are not so safe. The ensilage, when the silo is filled should be 
covered with a layer of straw from six to fifteen inches in thick- 
ness, then with planks two inches thick and of such length as to 
move down inside as the ensilage settles. On the ])Iank stone 
or other weights should be placed. In the south it would be 
safer to cover the plank with ten to fifteen inches of earth well 
packed ; and if so covered the straw will not be required. As 
the forage settles, the earth on top should be trodden to close 
fissures and kept air tight. In this way ensilage has kept sonnd 
two years. 

VALUE Or^ ENSILAGE. 

Opinions on this subject vary considerably. But the results 
of niany carefully conducted experiments show little or no loss 
of nutritive matter in changing green corn into ensilage when 
the corn is cut fine, or in lengths of three-eighths of an inch 
and closely packed so as to expel the air as perfectly as possible. 



i;U Farmer's Book of Grasses 

J>nth chemical analysis and the results <tt" feeding (tonfinu this 
statement. If the corn stalks or other plants, are put in whole 
there is great loss ; for no amount of practicable pressure can he 
applied suliicientto expel the air and prevent much deconijio- 
sition. 

When the ensilage is properly prepared feeders contend for 
increase ii; its value. And it is no doubt much more valuable 
than the same mattei- would be if dried for winter and spring 
ieeding. bv using it animals require veiy much less water 
than wlien i'vd on hay, as the latter contains only about one-sev- 
enth as much water as tlie ensilage. The water in the ensilage 
is warmer than that in ponds and streams and abstract little or 
no heat IVom the animal and thus much is saved ; while the 
heat absorbed l)y the cold water and out door air must be re- 
placed by more carbohydrates in the daily ration of the animal. 
Part of the material in the ensilage is rendered more digestible 
and easier to assimilate by the slight fermentation 
which takes place in the silo. If packed as above directed very 
little air can remain in the silo, and as soon as the oxygen in 
that is combined in fermentation with carbon, the fermentation 
must cease both for want of oxygen, from the pressure of the 
carbonic acid and the anti-fermentative power of the latter. 

To be thrifty our live stock especially the young and grow- 
ing require succulent food ; and by means of ensilage it is cheap- 
ly obtained. But corn stalks alone green or dry do not furnish 
all the materials needetl by animals for growth and fat in win- 
ter and summer. Hence the necessity of some additional food. 
A good ration for winter is for every 500 pounds live weight 
20 pounds corn ensilage and 3 pounds corn meal or cotton seed 
meal or oil cake per day. Wheat bran in small quantity may 
be used also ; but it is too poor to use to much advantage with 
ensilage. Shorts would be better. Corn, barley, rye or oats 
could l)e advantageously used with it, the first two especially. 

RXSlLACrE I'LANTS. 

Green corn has been most generally used. Teosinte would 
probably be fully as valuable and vastly more productive. 
Both these plants, having large stems and near the bottom hard 
shells, should be cut in pieces not over three-eighths of inch 
long. When cut too long the woody parts often turning end- 
wise between the jaws wound the gums and tongue and cause 
very serious damage to the animals. All plants for ensilage are 
better cut wdien in bloom and on till the seeds begin to glaze. 
The southern white corn has been extensively and successfully 
used for ensilage. Perhaps some of the more prolific, softer 
shelled kinds would be better. The sugar corns are richer but 
smaller. The pea vine, millets, Johnson grass, sweet potato 



And Other Forage Plants. 135 

viiioH, beet tops and i-oots and many other things would make 
good ensilage. The prickly eomfrcy might be made very use- 
ful in combinatien with pea vines or eorn bv facilitating a 
closer packing. But all should be cut siiort to ensure close 
])aeking. 

fi:ki)[nc;. 

The silo should have niovabh' partitions of plank. When the 
ensilage is to be used it should be cut from top to bottom and 
the partition moved ui) close and propped against the perpen-' 
dicular mass. By means of these partitions a part of the silo 
may be filled at one time, and other parts later. Attempting to 
fill too great a length at once might cause great loss, for the corn 
or other plant must be cut rapidly and hauled as flxst as cut and 
worked up without delay so as to prevent wilting. It seems to 
do better to fill only a foot or two a day than more, thus giving 
time to settle better. 

Excellent machines are now made for cutting corn and other 
plants into thin slices at the rate of many tons a day, the length 
adjustable fiom a quarter of an inch to one or two inches. The 
expense of corn ensilage is much less than that of the same 
quantity prepared in any other way. 



136 



Farmer's Book of Grasses 
TABLE I. 



Proximate Composition of Agricultural Products, showing 
the average quantity of Water, Ash, Crude Fibre, Albuminoids, 
Carbohydrates, etc., compiled from Wolif, Knop and others. 



SUBSTANCE. 


fa 


'X' 


Carboh 
d rates. 
Album 

Ci'ude 
F 








05 


2. E 


rrt- 

9 


ROOTS AND TUBERS. 












Potato Irish 


95.0 0.9 1.] 


I 2.0 21.0 


Artichoke Jerusalem 


80.0 0.^ 


) 1.3| 2.0|15.6 


Kohl Rabi 


S8.t 


) 1.1 


I 1.1 


I 2.3| 7.3 


Field Beets, Mangold 


88.C 


) o.<^ 


i 0.^ 


) 1.] 


9.1 


Sugar Beets 


81.i 


0.^ 


1..: 


5 l.C 


)15.4 


Puta Bagas 


87.C 


l.C 


1.1 


1.6 


9.3 


Carrot 


85.0 


l.C 


1.7 


1.5 


10.8 


Giant Carrot 


87.C 


0.8 


1.2 


1.2 


9.8 


Turnips, (Swede) 
Turnips 


9L5 
92.0 


0.8 
0.8 


1.0 
1.0 


0.8 
1.1 


5.9 
5.1 


Parsnip 


88.3 


0.7 


1.0 


1.6 


8.4 


Pumpkin 


94.5 


1.0 


1.0 


1.3 


2.8 


SEEDS. 












Rice 


14.6 


0.5 


0.9 


7.5 


76.5 


Winter Wheat 


14.4 


2.0 


3.0 


13.0 


67.6 


Rye 


14.3 


2.0 


3.5 


11.0 


69.2 


Barley 


14.3 


2.4 


8.0 


9.0 


65.9 


Oats 


14.3 


3.0 


10.3 


12.0 


60.9 


Maize 


14.4 


2.1 


5.5 


10.0 


68.0 


Millet 


14.0 


3.0 


6.4 


14.5 


62.1 


Buckwheat 


14.0 


2.4 


15.0 


9.0 


59.6 


Vetches 


14.3 


2.3 


6.7 


27.5 


49.2 


Peas 


14.3 


2.5 


9.2 


22.4 


52.3 


Beans 


14.5 


3.0 


11.5 


25.5 


45.5 


Lentils 


14.5 


3.0 


6.9 


23.8 


52.0 


Lupins 


14.5 


3.5 


14.5 


34.5 


33.0 


Flax seed 


12.3 


5.0 


7.2 


20.5 


55.0 


Rape seed 


11.0 


3.9 


10.3 


19.4 


55.4 


Hemp seed 


12.2 


4.2 


12.1 


16.3 


55.2 


HAY, 












Meadow hay 


14.3 


6.2 


30.0 


8.2' 


41.3 


Aftermath 


14.3 


6.5 


24.0 


9.5! 


45.7 



AS\) OtIIKR FoUACiK Pj.AN'I'S. 

TABIjJ'] 1 conlimuMl. 



13" 



sri'.sTAxri:. 






^ 



^ c 



^: 



HAY ('oiilimi('<l. 

Red Clovci-, full l)l(is.v()m 

" " i'i]io 

White Clover, full hlossom 
Alsikf Clover, lilossoiu, 

'*' " ri])c 

Liicern, youiiii; 

" in blossom 

Ksjiarsette, in blossom 
Crimson Clover " 
Yellow Medick " 
W'tehes 
Pens 

hnlinn Ryo li'rass 
Timothy 

Early meadow grass 
('rested dog's-tail 
Soft brome grass 
Orehard grass 
Barley grass 
Meadow fox-tail 
Tall oat grass 
l]nglish Rye grass 
Sweet vernal grass 
Velvet grass 
Kentucky blue grass 
Rough meadow grass 
Yellow oat grass 
Quaking grass 
Average of the grasses 



16.7 

16.7 

16.7 

16.7 

16.7 

16.7 

16.7 

16.7 

16.7 

16.7 

16.7 

16.7 

14.3 

14 

14.3 

14.3 

14.3 

14.3 

14.3 

14.3 

14.3 

14.3 

14.3 

14.3 

14.3 

14.3 

14.3 

14.3 

i 1.3 



6.2 
5.6 

8 

8.3 

5.0 

8.7 

6.4 

6.2 

7.2 

6.0 



35.8 

48.0 

25.6 

30 

45.0 

22.0 

40.0 

27.1 

33.8 

26.2 



8.3 25.5 



7.0 
7.8 
4.5 
2.4 
5.5 
5.0 
4.6 
5.3 
6.7 
9.9 



25.2 
16.9 
22.7 
25.9 
22.6 
31.0 
28.9 
27.2 
29^0 
29.4 



6.5130.2 
5.4 31.2 
5.5133.6 
5.l!32.6 
7.1 32.6 



5.9 
7.4 

5.8 



13.4 
9.4 
14.9 
15.3 
10.2 
19.7 
14.4 
13.3 
12.2 
14.6 
14.2 
14.3 
8.7 
9.7 
10.1 
9.5 
14.8 
11.6 
9.6 
10.6 
11.1 
10.2 
8.9 
9.9 
8.91 
8.41 



30.8 
30.3i 
28.7 



29,9 
20.3 
34.3 
29.2 
23.1 
32.9 
22.5 
36.7 
30.1 
36.5 
35.3 
36.8 
51,4 
48.8 
47.2 
48.0 
35.0 
40.7 
42.0 
39.5 
35.3 
38.9 
40.2 
36.7 
39.1 
37.6 
6.4i 42.6 
5.2' 42.8 
!i.5 41.7 



138 



FaEMEh's JjOOK of (jiRASKES 





Val 
hay 
cent 

Val 
dry 


per ton as 
with 14.3 per 
moistwre. 


CT 1— 1 -f ■:£> O X> rM T-H i:— O O oo i-- 'Ji 'Cr^ 
X O ** =^ '■-M "t OD Cti O I- rC O C^I i-O '-t^ 


O I- 

rH X 




-t X 1^ ^1 o r-H c: 'iC' T? vr -,0 ':^ co -t i— i 


'O -ft 

T— 1 r— 1 




per ton of 
substance. 


1— C^) LO t^ CO O '"^O TO O CI CM t^ X CO 1— { 

<~i o CO t-- X -r T-H o X -f^ rH 1- -rt^ o -^-^ 
X* r-H o ^ t^ oi CO* oi LO wi ci X* >c I.—' CO 

O-I <>! CM t— 1 !— 1 r-1 CM r-i r~l 1— < rH ,-1 ^ r-1 rH 


C^j iQ 

CO CO 

rH r-i 




Nutritive i 


■atio. 


-r ivO X CO ':r' CO co' co i--; O' x o co c^i ;iq 
'^! c^i CO o >o o CM '^ id ct ct ^ id X c^i 


o -f 


Gt' 


r-i 1— t 


.— ( rH 


1^ 

00 


Nitr 
albu 

Criu^ 


ogen X 
niinoids 


(i.25, 


-t^ lO C^i X C^J CM C^I X I;- t^ r>\ t- O i— i >0 

r-i C~l Ct' Ct' 1— 1 r-H -t "tT. lO ti5 r— O lO iX) CO 


O' c:> 




lO CC C » lO CI O 1^ 1— 1 X CO C^I ^H GO O r— 1 
C^Il — ^rH -^l-H 1 — (I— (1 — 1 I— 1 


rH O- 
rH rH 


e fibre. 




'CO C^i C^l r-t C^i CI Lf C-! Ci CI CO -t rH Ci X 

O 1-^ CO 'O X lO 1— 1 i-O rH c^i 1^ CD c:) CO lO 


CO O' 

CI o 


O 


CO rH O' O X UO O C:) O rH Ct' 1^ O-l O CO 
tH C^l C^I rH rH Ol rH 1— ( CM C^l rH i-H CM CM CM 


CJ Ol 
rH 01 




Nitr o gen 
extract. 


free 


CO O C^l Ct) C~J X 0\ t^ ^ CO' X ).— t^ rH lO Ci <X 
C^l r^ X 1— 1 lO I— t CO O ^ CM CO C2 CO 1— 1 t— 1 O CM 

id X '1^ CO 1.^ lO id CO r^ c-^ CM -rt^ c^i ci cs lO -t 
CO' CO '^.t^ 'O -h" -^ CO -f Tfi CO ^ "^ -^ ^ o-i 't Tt^ 






Fat. 




CO X :0 O C^l i-O -rri O 'O' O) X 1^ O Cti CO 

lO CO t-- CO X CO Ct' C^I O lO '^ O CO ^ X 

-f c-i CO c-i CO* o-i n^' co ^ co cd co cm cd i—t 


rf O 
CO X 

--H* c^i 




Ash. 


I— 1 lO X c-i c^i CO !■- CO lo Ci ct) iro cm O' c^- 

t^COXX'-f'^X-tCiC^CiCOCOrHrt 

i-J cd cd id CO i>^ c^i id c^ ci t--^ x' Ci co* co* 

1—1 — 1 


T^ CO 

X q 

t-' CO* 




Water. 


CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO 


CO CO 


-rfH* -t^* -H -f> ^* -h* --r -** '^ -^ -** -** -^' ^' ^* -^ '-ft 


o 




o 




-5 ■■^- ^- a 

■^'^''t p ^'B brj ^ '^ 5 cj g ;^ 
.2 S ?^ r -£ g E^-^ -- 2 ^ . X- S :y, 

2 ji ^^ ^ s i ^ ^ 1 1 ;^ ^ ,1 2 =:| a 

O :q Hj^ eq c^ ^ ri t> Q <l > cc O Q >- sq GC 



A.M) OniER FoKAdE Plants. 



ir!9 



c: CM GC CO O t- QC CO O :;o CO o (M cc 1-^ ci cc o '^ o rH Ci ^1 := :r 1-^ '^. 1-1 -^ 

-t^ ^l CO -^_ O 'M^ O OC C: IC 7-1 rH OC O I- I- :S -ri C: -* rH -Ij CO ^ •■£ X O rH C^ 



lO- 't "M 'M 'TI 'M 



Ol ^H ^H O' CI "^ X 



i-O 01-+! -t^ -1^ CO Ol -ti CO CO 



irj lO ^H T-H rM CO t— oi ':r' Ci ':d CO 'O r-i t- i- o o i-- co r-i ^h ^ o^cT'i-^T-^^^"' 
o -t 'O o CO oi c; OC ':r> c: o o co oi co o -* ci cr;_ ^_ ci t-- '^i n c;' co co ri' 

-* -f _|H* -j^ _^' ,r^f ^' r/j ^* ^7 jv^ r^vj ^" I- O L-^ lo' *^ 1-' -^ -^ ^Z '■£ 10 -t-' *C: lo' 'O* 



X C5 lO 

o o 



lO X !;-_ I^_ t--_ (M_ 1--^ O Ci O Ci O X r— I 1-; Ol X Ci Cl 01 

-fH -t -t^ o CO r— ' lO x' I--' ci ci O i-h i-i' -+ ;:;' -+' c: •-c o 



OJ 

lO 



:^_ X O CO CI X rH 

lo' LO ;o L- o --o I- 



I— Ci X OI i>1 O r-i X O O lO O C:^ '^ rH 'Tjl Ct' I- -sC -+ ^1 -^"^"^^ 
-t* -t CO 'CI O O 0^1 Ci X O Ci I-; CO lO tH t- X CO 'O X CO 01 :c c: 

O ci x' t-' t-' o' <:o id lO o -^ ^ -t^' oi o oi CJ lo* i--' c:" ci 'C:' 'o' ci 



c: 1— t :c I- C; i~ 10 

o -^ o c; 'O :o c; 

X X* V5 I- L- I- 



ir- <:o ic T-^ O t^ CO oi oi -f X T— I c^ ^ -+ O c: X i-- ;C' c: i^ o -^ i-j c. 

f'^ ^"^ I — r^ 1^ -^ ,"/~ —41 l'^ -"^ '^'^1 ^<^ --^ i"?^! r^ ^ r"*' 1^ ^^ ?-r. ..m' — ^ J -.1 «i.' __ ' 



O O I- Ot I , ^ , -. -^ .. .. 

(M oi oi '>! ^1 0^1 oi r^y oi oi cm c^i 



X' -f id >d CO CO' -t^ of r-l o Ct 1-^ -^" w r4 ^ 
Ol C^l Ol Oi CM C^l Ol CM -1 -0 CI rH CI r-1 CO CI 



01 01 — ( 

-+ L- -+1 

J -t r-: of oi c: 

_H 01 CI 01 01 CI CI r-J 



o 'M c; X X '^ o c:^ <— I jt ^o t--~ r-H -f r^ OI :o C: O 01 o i^ of C^^ l:-- -^ -h ^ is -r- ' 
CO -f )-o i—i c^^ rt^ X CO CI uo lO o X OI t-_ r-^ c: -+ o 01 01 c- 1-- lo o ^ :c th oi lO 
or* CO* o c' i-< cd CI !;■-* oi co' t^' i^' x' oi -*" co -t^ w ci x d lo' x" *o lo* x' x* x" c: 

-r-+*ct'rt<'ft*'*co"^'*Tti'*-^-l^LO"*'*'*'^"^^'*oi'-t< -*'*-*-rH'*-^H-ti 



CO X OI o '^ -^ CO -f -f X i^ o^ lO t^ CO C) lO' CO lo o I I ^ lo 1-- CO -* c: CO i-O l- 

lO lO -f^ i-H CO X Ci CO O X O T— X 0-1 -i^ '^^ '-H -* CI' O :0 X -O O C5 t^ X '^ C: cc 

co' oi oi oi T-H ^ T-4 oo' co' -+' ^ oi oi T-i oi i—i oi oi c i co oi oi co" r-^ oi oi r-i co" oi oi 



T-H X 7— ( LO O X X Ci' X CO :0 LO O -—I 01 "^ w CO' 

CO LO X' OI i^ Ci c? X CO 1- r^_ co i^_ o^^ c; 'X -+ -^ 
i:^ c: o <oi i-- lo' ci -t^" x' lo i--' x ^' t-' *-^ i^ ^ -" 



01 CI CO o 

r "-iH t- 01 1-^ -ti LO CO lo ^d ~¥ lo" :o" 



CO CO CO C? CT CO CO CO CO co co co co co CO' co C"; co co co co co co co co co CO' Ct CO' CO 
-J^ _J^ -f," -jh" _^* -f^ -)i -f^' -f<' -fH '-tn* -i^* -f* --f -^ 'rf^ -t ^i -+ -ji tj? •rH -^ '^ -rtl ■^* Tli -fi -fi' -f 
,— It— li— (T— IrHrH^HrHr-li— It— (i— i^H,— I'— trt--(^r-(-H^HT— I'rHrHrHi— 1^,— Ir^ri 









M « 
















« CS 








a: 








K 1- 








C/L' 








fr &ij 












:/.' 




tr: 








^ 




•f: 




a £! 






CJJ 




1^ 




Q^ ci 








o 




Oij 




s >„ 




c/j 








^ '^ 




^ r" 




^ 




^ 




S3 









>- 






;:5 


O 


1 


5 •-■ 




r* 


§ 






a 






rj 


OJ 


5 


"o 



— '^ 
2 !=Jj ., 



a: 

S ^ '^ 
^ 2 « bi 






X 



ij.i: 



'X -k- _ _ 

■^'■-' I £ i I s ? i , 

i ^ ? ^ ^ I ^ ^ ' 



■x 



'CJ 









C3 



O ^ 

^ Cj 



g 3 S 5 

><1 



&^ «^^^ 



mm . c . .g 

•^ iS Ji C3 SS'^ 



H > cH 



X b z: 

rt "^ /x . ?:■ 2 ;^ ^ 2 ^ 2 > cs ^ cs 

- £^§^-^S x-s'5 ^^ 

ii' r '^- --5 [£ ^ 2 ij I't 



' h^ ^ 



'*' iH 



140 



Fai;mer'h Hook of Grasses 



0'--f '-ci 


r-H -+ 


cc cc CM 


lOl 


CO 


Ol i'O 


T-H 


3, 


I'O 


rH 


cc -H CO cc 


CO LO 


CO 





1.- Q^ O 


-t^ 1-^^ 


CO CO ijO 


X 


CO 


t-H L- 


'•^1 


1^— 


l-H 


CO 


CM CO cc CO 


CO 


CO 


r^ 


oi} CO i-H 


CO c^i 


o\ CO ^ 


T-H 


1-H 


cc CO 


co' 


'd 


CO 


01 


1-H 1-H 1-H 


1-H* LO 


CO 


H 


1— 1 h-ii— 1 


T-H r-H 


•— 1 1-H T-H 


1—1 


1-H 


1 — 1 


1-H 


1-H 


T-H 


T— ( 


T-H 1-H T-H T-H 


1-H 1-H 


1-H 




o 1^ 0? 


'O 1- 


■CO CM -t 


~ 


T^ 


Jti »o 


c;^ 


CC' 


IQ 


lo 


r-- (M cc cc 


r^"^ 


^^ 


"y 


cr; lO CC 


O 'X' 


-j^ CO -t; 


1^ 


LO 




~t 


~*1 


CO 


CO 


1- X 1- 01 


X cc 


CC' 


^ 


>0 lO o? 
1— 1 1— 1 I— t 


i.O -+' 

T— 1 r-H 


-f LO CO 
r-l I— * ^H 


CO 


C'O 

1-H 


T-1 1 1 


r-1 


ol 


LO 
1-H 


-t* 


CO CO CM CO 

^1 T-H lH T-H 


1-H rH 


lo' 


G 


r-H !-• C; 


O O' 


CO CO cc 


"o 


'o' 


r>\ -rfi 


^r 


^^ 


"c^ 


10 co_^ c^i^ c>| X 


CO q_ 


co_^ 


5< 


I-J CO o 


'7" '^" 


O I-" x' 


d 


X 


X* x' 


t^ 


rJZ 


t^' 


d co' cc 1-H -H 


r>\ CO* 


l^' 


^ 






1 • • • 


1 — 1 


^^ 


1-H ' ■ 








1 — 1 


•: •• 1-H ^H 


r—* _L! 


• ' 


c3 


T-H r- T— < 


^^ r— 1 


. . 1—1 rM 






.. r-H 


r— 1 


1—1 


»— H 




1 — 1 1-H , .. 


. . 1-1 


T~~1 








^^ 


1-H 


^ 


1— 1 








1-H 


T-t 1-H 


'"' 




X 


o -t^ oc 


I— I lO 


X o oo 


"^ 


"o^ 


l^ o 


'^' 


^' 


"^ 


CO CO 1-- 


X t- 


"To 


H 


CO CO OI 


OI c: 


O CC' kO 


cc 


Ol 


lO cc 


cc 


-t 


00 


cc 


CO CO 1-H 1;^ 


cc 1-H 


LO 


X 


t-' I>^ t-* 


I-^ CO 


i-o co' lO' 


-^ 


ct' 


oi CO* 


f^ 


»cr 


CO 


-t 


co' lO' -t ct* 


co' 17-' 


CO* 


C3 


,-i C X' 


lO CO 


CC' X 1-1 


1^ 


*co" 


lO I'O 


T^ 


ot 


"x" 


LT 


'O 'Oi 


l^- 


T-1 


^ 


-t^ 1-1 CO 


CO 'CO 


'CO cc cc 


lO 


1-; 


CO x 


cc 


c^ 


cc 


cc 


CM -P 1,^ CO 


X CO 


X 


^=HI 


ci <>i i^ 


^ c^ 


1-1* — i -*" 


ijo' 


1-H 


X* -fi* 


-f c^i 


Lo' 


it 1>- cc r-i 


LO T-i 


It 


^ 


rH fM CM 


CM o'l 


Ol C^l G^l 


CM 


CM 


CM rH 


(M 


CO 


•Ol 


CM 


oi c^^l CM 0^ 


CM (M 


(M 






oc' c^a cc 


CM Ct 


cc 1-- X 


T^ 


1-H 


lO T-H 


co" 


"^ 


"o" 


~^ 


CO cc CM cc 


1-H CO -t 


1-H 


lO 1— 1 CO 


CC r-H 


-f-'X lO 


X" 


q 


CO CM 


CM 


X 


X 


I— 


CO 10 10 


-t q 


CO 


^ 


CHi ^'^ T— i 


Co' 'CO 


cc cc t-' 


cc 


o 


LO CO* 


CO 


iH 


co" 


CC' 


d CO* CO* c^i 


!>■* X* 


LO 


.s 


1^ -^ -fl 


-f "h 


-+*'*'* 


rt^ 


LO 


it LO 


"* 


rh -f -t ^ it If LO 


-t It -t 


X 


I- CM GO 


Cl CO 


cc cc cc 


00" 


"oT 


Qr\ (^ 


o^ 


CO CM 


CO 


CO i-O X CM 


t^ rH 





c3 


CO ~_ Oj 


CC' CO 


O 'O wO 


r^ 


CO 


-fl (V^^ 


1— 1 


I^ 


(^ 


Ol 


t- LO T-H CM 


LO CO 


>o 




i^i ci T-H 


Ol CM 




o\ 


c^i 


r— ( iH 


C*^' 


1-H 


00 


CO* 


1-H ol CO* ol 


c^i -V 


-t* 





CI '>\ X 


CO C!^' 


i':r 'CO V.C 


T— . 


^r 


O X 


TT 


"7;^ 


'CO' 


TzS 


X CO CO 1^ 


T^ zo 





i- 


CO -T^j I- 


o^j -o 


CO CO O 


'^! 


r-H 


^ q 


-t^ 


-t; 


q t-_ 


q 1- iH 'X^ 


X 01 


CM 




CO 1^ I-^ 


1^' !:o* 


CO -t CO 




^.■^ 


X' CO* 


-t 


-t" 


CO 


c^' 


'O L? )0 


10* ~r 


-t* 


s 


CO CO CO 


z*.'^ r-.'^ 


CO CO' CO 


'-V'N 


^^^ 


c? CO 


c*^ 


^r^ 


-^1 


coT 


CO cr CO CO 


CO CO 


"co 


•^ 


•Th -t^' -t 


-+" -f 


-t-' -11* -t 


-t^' 


-f* 


-f," -fl' 


-r 


-t 


-14 


-t* 


-t* -t* -t -f* 


-t "h* 


-t" 


CJ 


1— 1 ^^ r-l 


1— < T-1 


r-H ^ T— 


^H 


'"' 


1 1 T^ 


^^ 


■^ 


, — 1 


1 — 1 


T-H r— ( T— 1 1-1 


rH r^ 


1-H 


la 


X X 




■j: 
n 




bjr. 


X -tJ 

X o 










bJC 






> 




o3 03 




;*^ X 






? ,o 






X 




— • 






0./ 


















x 




X ^C 








bjo fci; 




bJc rt 




s 


b/j ^ 




5^ 


oi 




i X ■= 

Ji x CS 






c3 


2 S 


■r. 

X 

bJD 


X *C 5 
X "— s C 


- 


CJ 




o" 




bJD 

41 

03 


, 


So s^ 

■^ X b/D -^ 








X 


03 >>. 


1= ^ 

1 ^' 

03 


Early gra 
IS, Blue 
ins. Bro 


X 


m 

■J. 


2 .5 

C H-J 


r-H 


13 


03* 


^ 


^ bJO fH S 
rSi-2^ 

rH ^C »— ^ 

a; :,- 

. r^ <^ . 
03 *"^ M 


X 

'0 







X 


_5d 5 






G 


CJ 

bJC 


k 1 


03 

c; 


X 

'CJ 


X 

X 




oi 
oi 

.2 


?i X' 'X 

r = ?! 
i o3 '^ - 


X 




B 




_>< 

'x 

X 


ua o 
autlii 

setosi 


'bjo'^ 


r^ , r- 

^ o 

bC 

o 






1 


X 


a; 

X 




53 


x" 


03 5 S ^ 
,1 'TJ .„ ci 




.-H 

•+2 


■cS 


O i^ 


« p-j ^ 








o 


^ 









Loptocl 
Cinua s 
Ely mils 
Aristid; 


X S 




.^ 


Boutel 
Antho: 
Setaria 




Jh 






03 


X 




13 




s 

^ hH 



>-. 

03 


H 



T-1^ ^ g 



c3 
> 

bi3 



cj r; S o '2; X 
;^ n O ':=; "x a 



INDEX. 



141 



INDEX uV SYSTEMATIC NAMES. 



XA3IE. 



1'aGE. 



Achillea niillefolia 


20 


Agrosti.s vuli^ai-is 


-h 


ulha 


■JO 


pftn-tinans 


■id 


("lata (dispar) 


10 


sea bra 


■id 


stoloiiiffriM'a 




var. latilolia 


41 


linearis 


41 


Aira flexuosa 


7S 


CiC-ipitosa 


"K 


Alo!'<'ciiin.s goniculatus 


S4 


pratensis 


;>5 


Anipliicarpuin Purshii 


S-l 


Fioridaiium 


84 


A n< i ropo^oii V i i<i;n 1 lens 


liii 


inaciourus 


112 


Elliottii 


112 


scoparius 


112 


ineianocarpus 


112 


Antlioxaiuluim odoratum 


^;i 


Arachis hypo^a'a 


!l 


Arriienatheium aveiiMceum 


hO 


Aruudiiiaiia siiuaiue;i (maerosi>erni 


Oi» 


tecta 


6!) 


Astragalus 





Aven.-i urati-nis 


79 


fiavesceus 


7fl 


striata 


79 


pra^cox 


7'J 


saliva 


79 


elatior L. 


80 


Hataiiis ediilis 


21 


iia-hnieria nivea 


29 


i;oiit<doua liirsiUa 


51 


Krassica 


120 


BroniHs unioloides 




:'<. .-i-iiiii'k'i Vj HdeiiO'^vii 


65 


earinatus 


67 


se(;al)nus 


67 


racemosus 


67 


eiliatus var. piirgaiis 


67 


Kaliui. 


67 


Bufhloa dactyloides 


51 


C'alamagrostis Canadensis 


S'J 


coaretata 


39 


arcnaria 


y9 


Carex stricta 


32 


Cynosunis crlstatus 


84 


(.'eatrosoiua 


16 


ffiaJtu'liloa uiiinloidex 


65 


Cielioriuin intyljus 


20 


endiviup. 


21 


Cladiuia ettusum 


;>2 


Clitoria 


16 


Coix lacryma 


126 


Crotalaria 


1 


Cynodon daetylon 


41 


linearis 


41 


Cenclirus tribuloides 


110 


ecliiuatus 


110 


C^yprrus r^ liens 


.'iO 


eseulfiitiis 


31 


Dactylis i^lonierata 


59 


Dactyloftenium Egyptiacnm 


49 


Danthonia spicata 


78 


sericea 


78 


Desniodiinn 


12 


Dolichos lablab 


16 


Chinensis var. 




nielaiioiJJitlialmiis 


16 


multitlorus 


16 


Soja 


19 


Eatouia Pennsylvaiiiea 


51 


obtusata 


52 


Eleusine ludica 


47 


Elymns Virginicus 


74 


striatus 


74 


Canadensl.s 


75 


arenarius 


7r)' 



Name. 

Eragroatis rcptans 

V'lOa'Oides var. 
itaii'^astachia 

))il()sa , : , ■ 
Purslili 
eoiiferia 
tennis 
capillaris 
jieetinaeea 
nitida 
Eria'Uhnsalopeeuroides 
eon toil us 
breviliarbis 
strietus 
Euchloena kixurlans 
Fagopyruni 
Fesluc;i pratensi.s 
elatior 
diirinscnia 
rulira 
ovina 
tenella 
niyurns 
lolhicea 
nutans 
wiiiuioitlc'S 
Gala el ia 
Glyeeria nervata 
pallida 
tlultans 
rigida 
Canadensis 
Glycine hisiada 
Gymnosticluim liystrix 
Helianthus anuuiis 

tub(iusus 
Hierochloa Seneca 

alpina 
Holcus lauatus 

niolus 
Hordeuni pralense 
pustihuu 
jubatuui 
vulgare var. Iiex- 
nsticliauii, <lis- 
ticliuin 
Ipomea batatus 
Latliyrus venosus 
niyrtifolius 
odoratus 
latltolius 
Leers la oryzoides 
VirLiinica 
liexandra 
lentieularis 
Lens 

Leptoeliioa niucronata 
Lespedeza repeus 
violaeea 
snivel 
lilrta 
i- .pn-ita. 

.lata 
^.leolor 
Loliuin perenne 
Iialieuni 
annuum 
ai'vensc 
mniuleutuni 
iiiultifioruni 
Lupiuus 

Manisurus grauularls 
Medicago sativa 
lupuiina 
niaculata 
dentieulata 
scutellata 
Meliea inutiea 
dllfusa 



58 

58 

59 

.59 

59 

59 

59 

.09 

•">9 

114 

114 

114 

114 

12;} 

•■iO 

(i;; 

63 
64 
65 
65 
65 
()5 
65 
(io 
65 
65 
1^ 



53 
53 
53 
19 
75 
20 
20 
83 
8;i 
81 
83 
71 
71 
71 



24 
9 

9 

9 

32 

;« 

33 

;« 

10 
49 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

1^ 

75 
76 

77 



77 

78 
1 

HO 



\-i-2 



INDT.X. 



Malil ciibcrgia 


52 


Me'iilotns ollicinali.s 


o 


alba 


5 


Milium effusnm 


84 


M u 1 1 1 ( ' 11 b (,' r g i a d i ff u sa 


38 


Mesicana 


39 


Onobrycliis saliva 


8 


Oplismonus 


97 


Oryza sativa 


3-1 


Paiiicuni sangninale 


88 


virgatuni 


90 


filitorme 


91 


an cops 


91 


aiiiarum 


91 


capillaro 


91 


divergeiis 


92 


vcruccosum 


92 


la li folium 


92 


clandestiiium 


92 


paucitlorum 


92 


viscidum 


92 


dicbotomum 


92 


glabrum 


92 


obtusum 


92 


Tixanum 


93 


proliferuni 


93 


agrostoidcs 


95 


Cru.s-Galli 


97 


jumentoruni 


98 


miliaceum 


lOO 


gibbum 


103 


divancatum 


103 


Paspalum heve 


86 


praicox 


87 


racemulosuui 


87 


ciliatilolium 


87 


distichum 


87 


digitaria 


87 


vaginatum 


87 


Waltori 


88 


fluirans 


88 


uiidulatuin 


88 


Penicillaria spicata 


109 


Petalostomon 


8 


Phalaris intormedia 




var. aiij^usta 


84 


arundinacea 


85 


Caiiariensis 


86 


Phasaolus pereniiis 


16 


diversifolius 


16 


helvolus 


16 


sinuatus 


16 


vulgaris 


16 
16 


naiuis 


lunatus 


16 


multiflorus 


16 


caracalla 


16 


Phleum pratcnse 


35 


Phragmltes communis 


68 


Pisura sativum 


9 


Plant ago major 


21 


lancoolata 


21 


Poa prateusis 


53 

53, 5S 

55 


comprcssa 


annua 


crista ta 


55 


flexuosa 


55 


trival s 


56 
56 


nemoraiis 


brevil'olia 


56 


a:sod('s 


56 


debilis 


SO 



sylvcslris 
f e"'>tina 
Psoralfa 

Kicliardsoiiia seabra 
Kottbcelia rugosa 
corrugata 
cylindrica 
Secale cereale 
Setaria Italic i, or Gcr- 
manica 
setosa 
verlicillata 
glauca 
viridis 
corrugata 
composita 
.Sina;-is 
Soja hispida 
Solanum tuberosum 
Sorglium vulgare 
av(>naceuin 
nutans 
seen 11(1 um 
cernuum 
saccharatum 
II i £^111 in 
halapense 
Spartina polystachya 
Sporobolus Iiidicus" 
Htenotaphrum Ainori- 

canutn 
Stylosaiithes 
yymphitum a s p e r r i- 

mum 
Tillandsia usucoides 
Tricuspis scslcroidos 
Trifoliuin pratensp 
arvense 
reflexum 
rcppns 
procumbens 
agraiiiun 
Carolinian a 
stolon ill' rum 
medium 
incarnatnm 
erectum 
liybriilum 
Tripsacum dactyloi dps 
Trisetum prlustre 
moUe 
pubesceus 
Triticum vulgar«> 
repeus 
caninum 
compositum 
Uniola lati folia 
paniculata 
gracilis 
nitida 
Urtica nivea 
Vicbia sativa 
faba 

Americana 
Caroliniana 
acutifolia 
micrantha 
liirsuta 
Zea Mays 
Zizania aqnatica 
millaoea 



!) 
14 
llO 
llO 
lit. 
70 

1(15 
108 
1(18 

108 

108 

1(1^ 

1(18 

126 

19 

?9 

114, ll-.,li(i 

HI 

114, 117 
Hi 

115, 115, 11(1 

115, iKi 
116 

il'S 118 
4(1 



11(1 
10 



58 



7 
8 
8 
8 
H 
8 
8 

8 
112 
78 
79 
79 
70 
70 
70 
70 
08 
08 
68 
68 
29 
9 
9 
10 
1" 
ic 
10 
1" 
124 
33 
33 





INDEX. 


143 


(GENERAL INDEX. 




African cane, 


no 


Broccoli, 


126 


Alabama ouinoa grass, 


lis 


Broom grass, 65, 


110, 112 


Alcandia, 


114 


California 


67 


Alfallli, 


2 


smooth 


67 


Alpine holy grass, 


83 


soft 


67 


American canary grass, 


84 


fringed 


67 


Annual rye grass 


77 


Buckwheat family, 


30 


Artichoke, Jerusalem 


20 


Buckwheat, 


30 


Barley grass, wikl 


71 


Buflalo grass, 


50 


squirrel-tail 


71 


Bur grass. 


110 


connuon 


72 


Bush clover, creeping 


10 


Barn-yard grass, 


97 


purple 


IC 


Beach grass, 


39 


downy 


10 


Bean, Windsor 


9 


hairy 


10 


horse 


9 


headed 


10 


kidney, common 


16 


Japan 


10 


string, pole, snap 


16 


Cabbage, 


126 


dwarf, or field 


16 


Cale or kale, 


126 


8ieva, Lima, butter 


16 


California timothy. 


84 


scarlet runnel. Spanis 


h 16 


Canary grass, American 


84 


snail-flowered 


16 


Steward's 


84 


Egyptian or black 


16 


reed 


85 


China 


16 


common 


85 


black-eyed 


16 


Cane, large 


70 


many-flowered 


16 


small, switch 


70, 103 


Beard grass, Virginia 


109 


Car])et grass. 


37, 86 


cluster flowered 112 


Catch -fly grass, 


33 


finger spiked 


112 


Cat -tail" millet, 


109 


silver 


112 


Cauliflower, 


126 


purple wood 


112 


Cheat, chess 


67 


Beet, 


126 


upright 


67 


Bengal grass. 


105 


soft 


67 


Besom grass, 


111 


Chiccory, 


20 


Beehive medick, 


4 


Chiendent, 


42 


Beggar lice. 


12 


Chuta, 


31 


Bellfountain, 


14 


Clover, Brazilian 


2 


Black moss, 


30 


California, bur, } 


ellow 3 


Blue grass, Ky. 


53 


sweet 


5 


true 5-3 


, 55 


tree 


5 


Blue joint grass, 


39 


Bokhara 


* 5 


Bokhara clover. 


5 


red 


5 


Borage family, 


21 


sapling 


6, 8 


Borden's, or Burden's grass 


, 40 


medium 


6 


Bottle brush grass, 


75 


smaller 


6 


Bottle grass, 


108 


rabbit-foot 


7 


Brazilian clover. 


2 


stone 


7 


Bristle' i>Tass, 


108 


buffalo 


7 



144 



INDEX. 



running butfalo 

white 

low hop 

yellow hop 

Carolina 

zigzag 

crimson 

Alsike 

prairie 

l)ush, purple 
f Japan 
downy 
hairy 
headed 

Mexican 

Spanish 

Florida 
Cock's-foot grass, 
Cock-spur grass, 
Coco grass, 
Corafrey, prickly 
Common millet, 
Composite family, 
Con'-olvulus iiimily, 
Corn beads, 



8 

7 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

14 

14 

97 

110 

31 

21 

100 

If) 

24 

1 2(i 

Corn, Guinea H"), 1 1') 

broom 11-) 

chocolate, Doura 115 

chicken 115 

white Egyj)tinn 116 

Indian 124 

Cotton seed, 12(3 

Crab grass, S8 

slender 91 

prolific, sprouting93 

Creeping soft grass, 83 

Crested dog's-tail grass, 84 

Crop, crab grass 47 

Crow-foot grass, 47, 48 

Darnel, many flowered 78 

Dennett's grass, 74 

Dochau, dukhun, dura 105, 114 

Dog's-tail grass, crested 84 

Dog's-tooth grass, 41, 47 

Downy oat grass, 79 

Downy persoon, 79 



Dropseed grass, 38 

Durva, daub, doob grass 41, 42 

Early wild oat grass, 79 

East Indian millet, 109 

Eaton's grass, 59 

Egyptian grass, 118 

Egyptian millet, 109 

Endive, 21 

English blue grass, 65 

Ensilage, making 132 

plants 134 

value 133 

feeding 134 

machines 134 

Esparsette, 8 

Evergreen grass, 63, 80 

False rice, 82 

Feather grass, 49 

Fescue grass, 62 

meadow 63 

tall 63 

fertile 64 

infertile 64 

hard 64 

red 65 

sheep 65 

small 65 

spiked 65 

darnel 65 

nodding 65 

wild "" 68 

Fiorin, faureen • 41 

Flat stalked meadow grass, 53 

Floating fox-tail grass, 34 

Florida clover, 14 

Fly away grass, 43 

Folic avoine, 33 

Fowl meadow grass, 52, ij(i 

iU)x-tail grass, 108, 114 

bristly 108 

green 108 

large 108 

wrinkled 108 

French luzerne 2 

Gilbert's relief grass, 84 

Goober, goora 9 







INDEX. 


(irass fainiiy, 




•.VI 




(jrass nut, 




;>( ) 




(Ji'ass <.<'('(], plan! 


ino- 


127 




size, 


(lf])tli 


128 




time 


to SOW- 


12S 


:\ra 



for orchar.l 12!t 
not mixed to sowl 21) 
(J lasses for winter pasture l-'iO 
permanent pasture l-'JO 

meadows 132 

defective seed 133 

Great millet, 114 

Guatemala grass, 123 

(Juinc^a eorn, 1 lo 

grass, 98 

Hair grass, 40 

■wood 78 

tufted 78 

Hard grass, 110 

Hedge-hog grass, 1 1 

H(>rd's grass, 35 

Holv grass, ' 83 

ali)ine 83 

Horse millet, 109 
Imphee, llo, 116 

Index, systematic 141 

gcnieral 143 

Indian corn, 124 

Indian dropseed grass. 38 

Indian grass, 117 
Indian millet, 114, llo 

Japan clover, 10 

Japan millet, 109 

Job's tears, 126 

Johnson grass, 118 

Joint grass, 87 

Jovare'e, 114 

June grass, o3 

Lentil, common 10 

Lespedeza, creeping 10 

two colored 12 

Long moss. 30 

Lotus tribe, 1 

Love grass, 59 

Lucerne, 2 

Lupine, 1 

Lyme grass, Virginia 74 

slender hairv 74 



CAanada 

Siberian 

soft 

upright, sea 
aizc, 
■Nlangelwurtzel, 
l\[anna grass, nerved 

pale 



145 

75 
75 
75 
75 
124 
120 
52 
52 
common, floaiiiig 53 
Manna grass, \()~ 

i\[arsh grass, 40 

JMarsh oat grass, 78 

]\Iat grass, 39 

Meadow gi'ass, smooth 53 

annual r)r) 

rough stalked 5o 
wood 5(j 

weak 56 

sylvan 57 

fowl 57 

creeping 58 

strong scented 58 
pungent 58 

slender 59 

hair panicled 59 
59 
132 
711 
81 
52 
118 
■) 



comb 
]\Ieadows, 
ISIeadow oat grass, 
soft grass, 
spear grass. 
Means grass, 
Medick, 

black 3 

spotted 3 

beehive 4 

snail 4 

Me lie grass, 52 

Mel i lot, white 5 

Mesket, meskit 51 

Meslin, 71 

Mesquit, 50, 51 

hairy 51 

Mexican clover, 14 

Milfoil, 20 

Milk ^-etch, Carolina 9 

Tennessee 9 

Millet, common, cultivated 98 

Thaer's culture 101 



l-l(i 


INDEX. 






German, or Ilniliau 


105 




sticky 


92 


Hungarian, golden 


105 




polymorphous 


92 


Indian, great 


114 




smooth 


92 


Polish 


107 




obtuse flowered 


92 


Texas 


108 




prolific, s})routii 


.g93 


Pearl, east ] r.dian | 
Egyptian, Japan :> 
horse, cat-tail j 






Texas 


93 


109 




agrostis-llke 


95 




Paspalum, smooth erect 


87 


i^Iillets, the 


103 




early 


87 


Dictionaries, encycio 


- 




stemmed 


87 


pedias 


104 




hairy slender 


87 


Bible and Pliny on 


104 




twin, joint 


87 


Millet grass, wild 


83 




finger sliaped 


87 


Moha de Hongrie 


107 




sheathed 


87 


Moke, 


114 




Walter's 


88 


Monro grass, 


95 




floating 


88 


Mustard, 


126 




pur[)le 


88 


Xagara, 


114 


Pea 


eomiiion, English gard 


en 9 


Netth^ family, 


29 




sweet, everlasting 


9 


Nightshade family. 


29 




milk 


16 


Nimble Will grass, 


38 




butterfly 


16 


Nut grass^ 


31 




spurred butterfly 


16 


Oat, common 


79 




southern field 


16 


red rust j)roof 


79 




v^■hippor^vill 


17 


potato 


79 




red rippci' 


17 


water 


33 




black 


IT 


Oat grass, wild 


78 




cow 


17 


taller wild 


78 




Japan southern relief 


19 


marsh 


78 


Pea 


•1 millet. 


109 


common 


79 


Pea 


ntit, ground 


9 


downy 


79 


Pencil flower. 


10 


yellow^ 


79 


Persoon, downy white 


79 


purple wild 


79 


Pigeon w^eed, 


14 


early wild 


79 


Piuder, 


9 


tall meadow 71 


), 80 


Pineapple fjxmily 


30 


(Jld fog grass. 


78 


Plantain family 


21 


(ild witch grass. 


91 




greater 


21 


Orchard grass, 


59 




btickhorn, Englisl 


1 21 


Panic grass, tall smooth 


90 


Plume grass 


114 


double-head, va 


- 


Pois 


on rye grass. 


77 


riable 


91 


Polish millet. 


107 


bitter 


91 


Poor Joe, 


14 


hair stalked 


91 


Potato, Irish 


29 


autumn 


92 




sweet 


24 


warty 


92 




viue hay 


25 


broad leaved 


92 




culture 


25 


hidden flowerec 


92 




varieties 2 


5, 2G 


few Howered 


92 




soil for 


20 



INDEX. 



147 



]iar\'e.stinj;i- 


2G 


Soft grass, woolly 




81 


time to haiv( 


'St 27 


meadow 




81 


seed, plantin 


g 27 


creeping 




83, 


]>r()(luct, sa^'i 


ng 28 


Sorgho, 




11 1- 


I 're face. 


iii 


Sorginim, oat like 




114 


I'rolitic, eA'ab ^rass, 


'.)■■'> 


nodding 




114 


r\ve ' 




swec-t 




115 


Pulse fiiiiiily. 


1 


goose neck 




117 


Pmiii'v-ut meadow i>"niss, 


oS 


Sorgsamur, 




114 


rur[>le wild oat, 


;i> 


wSonthern bent grass. 




40 


wood i;rass, 


112 


Held pea. 




10 


(j)nii('k, quitch .U'rass 


70 


relief pea 




19 


Ramie, 


2!) 


Spaiiis:! (dover. 




14 


E;indall iivass. 


(;;5 


moss. 




30 


Ivattle box, 


1 


trefoil. 




2 


snake o-rass. 


.">.' > 


Spear grass, 




53 


Red top ii'vass, 


•w 


soutiu^rn 


r,-}, r,\) 


tall 


oS 


branching 




r>^ 


Reed c^mary "rass. 


85 


short loaA'ed 




50 


,^i';iss, eommou 


CS 


wood 




5() 


sea sand 


-'59 


sylvan 




57 


Rescue grass, 


(J.") 


S[)i]ced grass, broad leaved 


08 


Rib'oon grasSj 


85 


slender 




08 


Ri'o grass 


21 


shining 




08 


Rice, 


:h 


Sprouting crab grass, 




'XI 


talse 


:V2 


Stewart's canar,\' grass. 




8-1 


wild Indian 


:v.i 


Strong scented meadow 


grass oS 


l)rolitic 


.">") 


Succory, wild 




20 


Oregon, Pampas, li 


gh- 


garden 




21 


land 


115 


Sugar cane, African, 


CI 


d- 


Ptve, 


70 


nese 


115-6 


wild 


71 


black 




110 


grass, English 


75 


Sun llower, 




20 


perennial 


75 


Table of grasses com;)ai 


ed. 


04 


Italian 


7(5 


of forage plants. 


130, 


140 


annual 


77 


Tall meadow oat grass. 




80 


])oison 


77 


oat grass, 




80 


many Howcred 


78 


Taller wild oat grass, 




78 


Sagina, 


11-1 


Tall red top grass, 




r)S 


Bainibin, 


8 


Tare, 




9 


Salem grass. 


81 


Teosinte, 




123 


Sweet scented vernal grai> 


s, 8;j 


Terrell grass, 




74 


Switch grass, 


90 


Texas crab grass, 




9.} 


Saw grass. 


32 


velvet mesquit, 




81 


Scutcli grass, 


41 


millet. 




108 


Se.ssnne grass, 


112 


Tickle grass. 




40 


Seneca gra^s, 


83 


Tickseed, 




12 


Shining eragrostis. 


59 


Tinu)tliy grass, 




35 


Silo, 


132-3 


Trefod, ;5']>anish 




2 


Small cane. 


103 


tick, tribe 




10 


Smut grass. 


37 


Tree clover, " , t* 


ij 


^4 


Snaii medicl<. 


4 


Tufted hair grass. 




78 



It 






^ *> f 



li 



148 


INN EX. 






Tnriiii)s, 


120 


Egyptian 




70 


Tussock <>rass, 


32 


Chinese, ivory 




115 


'■J'witeli grass, 


70 


Wheat grass, bearded 




70 


Vanilla grass, 


81 


White grass, 




32 


Velvet grass, European 


81 


small tlowere<l 


3)3 


lawn, juesquit 


8;; 


While melilot. 




o 


Vernal grass, sweet 


82 


timotiiy. 




81 


Vetch, common 


1) 


to]) Lrrass, 


4( 


, 78 


tiibe 


9 


Wild millet grass. 




84 


American 


10 


oat grass, 




78 


acute leaved 


10 


rice, 




33 


Carolina 


10 


rye, 




74 


haiiy 


10 


Vvire grass, .38, 41, 


47 


. 55 


small llowereil 


10 


Wood grass. 




117 


Vetcliling, 


9 


pnri)le 




112 


Virginia beard arass. 


110 


Wood liair grass, 




78 


cut grass, 


;i'j 


Woolly bearded grass. 




114 


Water grass, 


80 


soft grass. 




81 


oats. 


x\ 


Yard grass. 




47 


pursly. 


11 


Yaii'ow, 




20 


Way bread. 


21 


Yellow oat grass, 




79 


Wheat, 


70 


Yorksliire wliite grnas. 




81 



]t\ 18A 64 



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N. MANCHESTER, 
INDIANA 46962 






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